Contractors storm NNPC as ban on contract is lifted

There has been a renewed surge in activities, and ease in tension at the corporate headquarters of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) which has been linked to an indication that the ban an contracts may have been lifted.

It would be recalled that the award of contracts has been in the cooler since the coming into office of President Muhammadu Buhari in May 2015, pending investigations into the activities of the past administration as it affects NNPC.

Old and new contractors said they got information that the government has indirectly lifted the restrictions, based on alleged suspension of auditing of NNPC activates by the Presidency.

An official of the Corporation confirmed that there has been a renewed increase in number of visits by contractors since April 2017, which may not only as a result of awarding new contracts, but also with payment of the executed ones put on hold due to paucity of fund.

But NNPC spokesman, Ndu Ughamadu said the corporation‘s building is a public place, which means that anybody with genuine reason to visit can do so at will.

On lifting of the ban on contract, he said from time to time management reviews issues as they are related to that, but would not go into details.

Ughamadu however, stated that all contracts are thrown open for bidding to interested members of the public, but with relevant qualifications for such.

“Yes, there is now open bidding going on in a number of the subsidiaries of the NNPC, but what is important is that there is a commitment in promoting transparency, in line with the renewed efforts to transform the Corporation into being an accountable, competitive and transparent organisation conducting its business with integrity,” he said.

However, the assertion that the resumption of contract awarding has resumed was indirectly confirmed on Wednesday when the Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company (NPSC), one of the downstream subsidiaries of NNPC said in Abuja that approval had been given to about 37 companies to supply six triple agent firefighting trucks for the operation of the company.

The NPSC Managing Director, Mr. Luke Anele, who was represented by the Manager, Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), Mr. Agbami Tijani Mohammed, at the bidding session said the bid would lead to the procurement of six fire fighting trucks that would replace the non-functional and old trucks in its fleet.

It was leant that more than 60 per cent of contractors of the NNPC, including international oil companies (IOCs) are yet to be paid.

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