In a statement issued by the public relations director at the ministry, Mohammed Manga, the ministry said at no time did it award such contracts without due process.
The statement dismissed the claims as “not only unfounded but also malicious,” and aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the finance minister and the permanent secretary.
The rumour was also designed “to cause distractions to the ongoing initiatives embarked upon by the ministry in revamping the nation’s economy in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Administration,” the ministry alleged.
The statement stressed, “The ministry further wishes to state that all contracts awarded from February to June 2024, including that of the Presidential Initiatives on Compressed Natural Gas (Pi CNG) and, by extension, other contracts till date were done in accordance with the Public Procurement Act and other relevant laws and regulations.
“Any insinuation of corruption or irregularities as claimed in the publication is baseless and without merit.
“The ministry is committed to transparency and accountability in its operations, as evident in the efficient management of the national economy. It also recognises the role of the media in ensuring transparency, accountability, and good governance and, thus, urges the media to always cross check all information before going to the press, as it will not hesitate to take legal action against any individual or organisation that seeks to damage its reputation through false and malicious publications.”
The statement urged the public to disregard the said publication, and assured that the ministry was working diligently to implement the president’s economic reforms and improve the lives of Nigerians.