The Federal Ministry of Finance has described as inaccurate, a report credited to Simon Ateba of an online publication, the Simon Ateba News, to the effect that the Ministry has hired a United Kingdom-based Public Relations Consultant for US$2 million monthly.

In a statement signed by the Director of Information, Salisu Nainna Dambatta and made available to Economic confidential in Abuja said the claim is clearly false, malicious and devoid of professionalism as no attempt was made to contact the Minister for input to the story.

He said “the Public Relations firm, Africa Practice, has been retained by the Federal Government on the approval of the Federal Executive Council to work with the Debt Management Office as part of the Eurobond programme for a three-year period alongside four other firms”.

This followed a competitive tender that was advertised and due process was fully followed and was publicly announced earlier this year.

The representative of Africa Practice was in Washington DC in continuation of the Eurobond programme and in support of the country’s outreach with international investors who showed great enthusiasm to do business with Nigeria.

The statement further said the false story has not dimmed the successful participation of the Nigerian delegation in the World Bank and IMF Spring meetings, nor questioned the obvious gains made by Nigeria in the course of the meetings as widely reported by correspondents of Nigerian media houses that covered the meetings.
The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has always appreciated the contribution of Nigerian journalists, whom she hold in high esteem, for the coverage they gave to the activities of the Nigerian delegation to the Spring Meetings in Washington DC and at home.

Meanwhile, No fewer than thirty seven (37) companies have submitted bids to supply six (6) triple agent firefighting trucks for the operation of the Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company (NPSC), one of the downstream subsidiaries of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Speaking at a public bid-opening exercise held at the NNPC Towers on Abuja, the Managing Director of NPSC, Mr. Luke Anele, who was represented by the Manager, Health, Safety and Environment, Mr. Agbami Tijani Mohammed, said the bid would lead to the procurement of six (6) firefighting trucks that would replace the non- functional and old trucks in its fleet.
The public bid-opening exercise is part of NNPC’s avowed commitment to openness and transparency aimed at transforming the Corporation into a Focused, Accountable, Competitive and Transparent organization conducting its business with Integrity (FACTI-based Corporation).
The NPSC boss noted that the firefighting trucks, when procured, would reduce to the barest minimum the incidences of fire outbreak in the twenty one (21) depots across the country.