News Highlights:
- Mele Kyari, GCEO of NNPCL, dismissed allegations that company staff are responsible for importing substandard petroleum products into the country.
- Kyari revealed that under the current management, the NNPCL has become a profit-making company after 43 years of losses.
Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, on Wednesday dismissed allegations that staff of the company are behind substandard importation of petroleum products into the country.
While speaking before a Senate Ad-hoc Committee regarding allegations of economic sabotage in the petroleum industry, Kyari stated that both he, as the CEO, and the NNPCL had been subjected to unwarranted media attacks by individuals attempting to create the impression that the company is undermining the nation’s economy.
In his words, “NNPCL is faithful and will not lie to the country. We are not criminals, and we are not thieves. We will protect our dignity so we can serve this country.”
“NNPC under our management and by operational guidelines or relevant provisions of PIA, CAMA, etc, is today a profit-making company after about 43 years of losses.
“Today from 1.4 million barrels it was months back, oil production level has increased to 1.65 million barrels per day and will soon hit the expected two million barrels per day.”
“There is nothing for NNPC to sabotage because we are out to maximise value and profit for the country. We are not against any domestic refinery because the laws are clear as far as processes and procedures are concerned.
“As requested by the Minister of State for Petroleum, the planned public hearing on alleged sabotage in the sector should be televised live for Nigerians to know the truth of situations on ground.”
Kyari disclosed that the oil and gas industry is bleeding, adding that there were things they knew but could not talk about in public until “the time comes”.
Recall that while speaking at the House of Representatives in July, President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, reportedly said some personnel of NNPCL, oil traders, and terminals have opened a blending plant in Malta.
The billionaire said the areas of the blending plants are known.
“Some of the terminals, some of the NNPCL people, and some traders have opened a blending plant somewhere off Malta. We all know these areas. We know what they are doing,” the billionaire reportedly said.
Reacting to the allegation, Kyari, in a post via X, said he was not aware of any employee of the NNPCL that owns or operates a blending plant in Malta or anywhere else in the world. He, however, said blending plants in Malta or any part of the world does not influence NNPC’s business operations and strategic actions.
