In a statement released this Thursday and to which VerAngola had access, Sonangol reaffirms its exclusive ownership of this terminal.
"TOBD is a strategic asset owned exclusively by Sonangol, and has not been transferred, assigned, registered or granted to any private entity, including Enagol", the company points out, adding that the terminal was "designed to reinforce the storage and distribution capacity of refined products in the country, while remaining under the full control of Sonangol".
The construction of the terminal "followed rigorous auditing and inspection processes", it points out, ensuring "compliance with the highest standards of transparency and good corporate governance".
Stating that the "allegations of overpricing are unfounded and defamatory", the oil company also considers that the "dissemination of false and slanderous information about Sonangol causes reputational damage to the company and the Angolan oil sector as a whole, compromising the trust of national and international partners and investors".
According to Sonangol, the information was disclosed by António Vieira, in an interview given to Rádio Essencial in February.
"Given the seriousness of the statements made by Mr. António Vieira, Sonangol took the appropriate legal measures, filing a criminal complaint for slander, defamation and reputational damage," it adds.
Finally, the company reiterates its commitment to "transparency, good governance and the correct management of its assets, ensuring that all of the company's operations and projects follow the best international practices and benefit the country", the note reads.
It is worth remembering that the TOBD was inaugurated by the President of the Republic last February. Located in the province of Bengo, this infrastructure has 580,000 cubic meters of fuel storage, as well as 102,000 cubic meters of cooking gas.
