By Ademola Tijani
Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, has refuted allegations that the NNPC is sabotaging the nation’s economy or involved in the importation of substandard petroleum products.
Speaking before the Senate ad hoc committee, chaired by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, which is investigating alleged sabotage in the petroleum industry, Kyari emphasized that the NNPC is committed to transparency and integrity in its operations.
“We are not thieves, nor are we fighting or prosecuting anyone in the oil and gas industry,” Kyari stated, assuring the committee that the NNPC is devoted to protecting the country’s economic interests within the framework of the law, including the Petroleum Industry Act and the Company and Allied Matters Act.
Kyari said: Â “The NNPC is a company owned by over 200 million Nigerians. We operate within the legal guidelines, and we are committed to maximizing value for the company and the nation.”
Addressing concerns about the NNPC’s involvement in importing substandard petroleum products, Kyari clarified, “NNPC has no role in importing products that do not meet national specifications. We follow the rules, and any breach of these regulations is a crime that could not have passed through any regulatory institution.”
Aliyu Sulaiman, Group Chief Strategy Officer of Dangote Refinery, also spoke at the session, praising the NNPC for its significant contribution to Dangote’s crude oil supply, which has enabled the refinery to produce and distribute petroleum products both domestically and internationally.
Additionally, Alhaji Abubakar Shettima, National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), urged the NNPC to improve the supply of petroleum products to retail outlets nationwide to eliminate fuel shortages.
The session, attended by key government officials, including the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, and the Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, also addressed the ongoing efforts to rehabilitate the country’s refineries and support the Dangote refinery and other modular refineries.
Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, leading the Senate ad hoc committee, expressed concern over the inefficacy of the Port Harcourt Refinery despite the $1.5 billion allocated for its turn-around maintenance in 2021. He criticized the poor performance of government-owned refineries compared to thriving private enterprises and stressed the need for a thorough investigation into the petroleum industry to eliminate economic sabotage and improve the sector’s overall functionality.
