DIEZANI MADUEKE SAYS SHE HAS STARTED REFUNDING $1.48BN TO FEDERATION ACCOUNT !!!

Diezani Alison-Madueke, Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources, while speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the weekly meeting of Federal Executive Council at the Presidential Villa, Abuja yesterday (Wednesday), she said

“I have not sought such assistance because I am not aware that I have been indicted of any crime that I will need a soft landing,” 

“Over the last four years, I have been severally and unfortunately accused and labeled in so many malicious and vindictive ways.

“In this period of time, I have stepped on many big toes, particularly the toes of the cabals that were in the industry when we came in.

“I have said severally said that we will open up the industry to all Nigerians, and we have, but that is not to the pleasure of certain cabals. And I have been continuously maligned because of this.”

The minister, while noting that everything that has a beginning must have an end, said she has done the best for Nigeria in her present job and has attained many firsts in the history of oil and gas especially in the reforms she has initiated.

According to her, the ministry has taken billions of dollars from multinationals and their subcontractors and put them in the hands of Nigerians through the Nigerian content law.

With the reforms initiated under her watch, she said hundreds of thousands of Nigerians are now playing major roles the oil and gas industry, a situation she said has irked many people.

She also on Wednesday disclosed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has started refunding the $1.48bn unremitted fund into the Federation Account as recommended by an audit firm, PriceWaterHouse Coopers.