The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has described the bid by a total of 34 firms to provide security services for its assets across the country as efforts to consolidate on steady supply and distribution of petroleum products in the country.

A statement from the Corporation said the public opening of bid is part of the Corporation’s commitment to transparency as a Focused, Accountable, Competitive and Transparent organisation, conducting its business with Integrity (FACTI).

The spokesperson of NNPC, Ndu Ughamadu, in the statement quoted the managing director of the Nigerian Pipeline and Storage Company (NPSC), Mr. Luke Anele, as saying that exercise is for the selection of firms to provide security services at the company’s depots and pump stations across the country.

Anene who was represented by the NPSC’s executive director in charge of Pipelines, Mr. Danladi Ahmed, stated that the NPSC was desirous of engaging reputable and competent security firms to safeguard its critical assets to ensure unimpeded operations and efficient service delivery.

“This particular exercise avails us the opportunity to identify competitive offers from companies that are competent and ready to secure our assets such as depots and pump stations at competitive rates. The NPSC assets are wide spread nationwide, which means security is important, if you have anything of value, you must provide security to safeguard it,” Mr. Anele stated.

NPSC is a midstream subsidiary of the NNPC in charge of depots and pipelines.

A cross section of participating companies who witnessed the event expressed their satisfaction with the conduct of the exercise, describing the Corporation as a transparent company that operates according to the dictates of best global standards.

Mr. Dozie Tassie who represented Pentagon Securities Ltd, described the bidding process as credible and satisfactory, adding that everybody was given the opportunity to compete fairly.

“NNPC demonstrated that it was committed to global best practices. Now that everybody has been given the opportunity to verify that the documents they submitted were not tampered with and the names of participating companies are made known, there won’t be cases of people raising eyebrows when winners emerge because they have witnessed the process and could testify that no company was smuggled in. NNPC is doing a fantastic job, it is a step in the right direction,” Mr. Tassie enthused.

While applauding the efforts of the NNPC GMD, Dr. Maikanti Baru, the Managing Director of Goldlight Security Ltd, Chief John Eke, stated that he saw transparency and due process in action during the bidding exercise.

•Text courtesy of LEADERSHIP