The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, on Wednesday, confirmed that he will reveal the truth about the company’s operations in the oil and gas sector at the appropriate time.
Naija News reports that Kyari made this claim while testifying before a Senate ad hoc committee investigating alleged economic sabotage in the petroleum industry.
The committee, which is led by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, is investigating the oil firm’s activities amidst calls for public scrutiny.
Kyari stated that the NNPCL is not involved in the importation of sub-standard products, as it was committed to transparency and integrity.
He lamented unfair media reports, stating that it was targeted at tarnishing the company’s reputation and creating the impression of economic sabotage.
Kyari said, “We are not criminals, we are not thieves.
“We will protect our dignity so we can serve this country.”
He noted that the oil and gas industry is bleeding and that there are things he knew but could not talk about in public until “the time comes.
Kyari said, “It is our duty to protect the overall interest of this country by the provisions of the law, Mr. Chairman. The Petroleum Industry Act, the Company and Allied Matters Act, and other enabling regulations and laws that govern the activity of the oil and gas industry. Mr. Chairman, we are not in breach of any one of them.
“Mr. Chairman, the NNPCL is a company owned by over 200 million Nigerians. And I happen to be the Chief Executive Officer of this company. And the law is clear around what the chief executive of this company will do.
“Our memorandum article of association, the Petroleum Industry Act, and all other enabling, including CAMA, which was legislated by this Honourable National Assembly. We are clear that the board and management of NNPCL must maximise value for this company, Mr. Chairman. This company cannot have negative profits for three years.
“CAMA says you can shut it down. Mr. Chairman, it is our job to protect this company. But it is also our job to protect other businesses around us. This company has grown, Mr. Chairman. We are proud to say this. From a lost company for 43 years to a profit-making company today, Mr. Chairman. Everybody believes, by sheer misinformation which my Minister has highlighted, that NNPCL is responsible for creating any economic sabotage in our country.
“Mr. Chairman, refining business is straight business. You must secure your feedstock and you must secure a market. This is basic even for NMPC refiners, we have done nothing to sabotage any domestic refinery. Any one of them. There are many of them.
“We do not lie to this country. And we do nothing to sabotage the economic interests of this country. As a matter of fact, NMPC is the economic interest of this country.
“And we understand it very, very badly. Just by the provisions of the law, and also, and I can share this with you, for me and my colleagues in the NMPC, even by conviction of faith, Mr. Chairman, we’ll do nothing. We believe there is eternal accountability, Mr. Chairman.
“Even if you don’t unravel what is happening, we know that God knows. And that God will hold us accountable. And we’re after no one. We are not persecuting nobody. We are not criminals. We are not thieves.
“We are serving our country, and we believe very, very strongly that we are faithful, loyal to this country. And that we, this Senate, and I believe this very, very strongly, that we protect our dignity, so that we can serve this country. Tomorrow will come. That tomorrow may not be on this world, but to be in the hereafter. And we believe that there is eternal accountability. And we mean, and we understand very clearly, that this President means well.
“Secondly, and more importantly, NNPCL has nothing to do with imports of products that are substandard. It is very clear, Mr. Chairman, there are rules, there are regulators. We follow the rules. We follow the rules. Nobody will bring product into this country that doesn’t meet the specifications. If it does happen, it’s a crime. And it couldn’t have passed through any regulatory institution. It is impossible.”
There has been a controversy between regulators in the oil and gas industry and the Dangote refinery.
Dangote had alleged that some government officials own a blending plant in Malta.
Malta is an island country located in the central Mediterranean Sea.
An oil blending plant has no refining capability but can be used to blend re-refined oil with additives to create finished lubricant products.
Clarifying the allegation, Kyari, in a post on X, wrote, “To clarify the allegations regarding blending plant, I do not own or operate any business directly or by proxy anywhere in the world with the exception of a local mini agric venture.
“Neither am I aware of any employee of the NNPC that owns or operates a blending plant in Malta or anywhere else in the world.
“A blending plant in Malta or any part of the world has no influence over NNPC’s business operations and strategic actions.
“For further assurance, our compliance sanction grid shall apply to any NNPC employee who is established to be involved in doing so if availed and I strongly recommend that such individuals be declared publicly and be made known to relevant government security agencies for necessary actions in view of the grave implications for national energy security.”
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