The Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC) has issued an official response to what it called "false claims" made in a report by the Libyan Audit Bureau regarding its operations and staff.

The NOC expressed Wednesday surprise and frustration at the report’s inaccuracy, releasing a 51-page rebuttal letter to the Audit Bureau's Head.

"NOC is now releasing its full response to the report as a result of the failure of the AB to publicly redress its multiple inaccuracies, as initially highlighted by NOC." The rebuttal remarks.

It adds that Audit Bureau's disinformation has as a result created and encouraged an anti-NOC narrative in the country – justifying threats and attacks made on NOC facilities, the corporation’s leadership, its staff - and on Libyan unity.

"The release of the report to the media prior to any ‘right to reply’, and subsequent media campaign against NOC, have mislead the public and attempted to foster a negative image about the oil sector’s leadership specifically. This serves as an unhelpful distraction at a critical time in the nation’s recovery.

"NOC's performance is exhibited through the disclosure of record production revenues for 2018, and transparent disclosure of monthly revenues delivered to the Central Bank of Libya." The NOC further adds.

NOC's Board of Directors requested also that transparency be devoid of political bias, incompetence.

NOC's Chairman Mustafa Sanallah also expressed his hope that they and the Audit Bureau could work together for the public interest.

"The position of NOC chairman Eng. Mustafa Sanalla on corporate governance is a matter of public record, and exists in parallel with a performance optimization review across the corporation and subsidiaries to secure revenue and fight corruption." The rebuttal statement says.

NOC said it had already begun work to adopt key principles of the internationally renowned Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative financial reporting standard.