NNPC, Alegbe Deny Statement on Oil Blocks Operatorship

The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Department of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Ohi Alegbe has dissociated himself from a story wherein he was quoted to have said the process of ceding the operatorship right of two oil blocks- OML 42 OML 40 to Neconde Energy Ltd and Elcrest respectively followed the industry best practices.

The story, which was published by THISDAY on Tuesday only made reference to an earlier publication in some national dailies, whereby the NNPC spokesman was quoted extensively to have issued a press statement in respect of the industrial action embarked upon by oil workers in the employ of the NNPC and its subsidiary, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) over the transfer of operatorship of the oil mining leases to the local firms.

THISDAY, in its report, never stated that Alegbe spoke to the writer of the story on the issue.

However, Alegbe in a statement, insisted that he neither spoke nor issued any statement on the issue.

“I wish to state that the statement attributed to me in the story was false in its entirety as I never issued any statement or spoke to the reporter at any time regarding the strike action.

There was no such statement from me or the NNPC as the story was apparently concorted to dent the cordial relationship between the NNPC management and the in -house labour unions”, Alegbe said in a release to THISDAY.