The Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPCL, Mele Kyari, yesterday at the interactive session organised by the Senate Adhoc Committee probing sabotage in the oil and gas sector, chaired by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, declared that the leadership of the NNPCL are neither thieves or economic saboteurs. He stressed that the NNPCL, “is loyal and faithful to the country,” adding that its management vowed to protect the interest of Nigeria in the petroleum industry.
He observed that most problems in the petroleum industry, have nothing to do with NNPCL.
“We are faithful and loyal to the economic interest of this country. We are not criminals. We are not thieves. But we will protect our dignity and honour,” he added.
This was as stakeholders in the oil and gas sector of the Nigerian economy agreed to expose all forms of sabotage and criminal activities bedeviling the sector not minding whose ox is gored.
This comes as a member of the House of Representatives, representing Ideato North and South Federal Constituency of Imo State and House Committee Chairman on Downstream Petroleum, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, yesterday, denied allegations that he gave $1.7 million to the House leadership to secure the committee Chairman position.
Participants at the Senate Adhoc Committee probing sabotage in the oil and gas sector, chaired by Bamidele, further agreed that the investigative public hearing should be aired live on national televisions and other media platforms.
Authorities of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Company also seized the opportunity to clear the air on the recent face-off between the two establishments.
While the NNPCL management distanced the organisation from any form of sabotage and accusation of deliberately stalling the take-off of private refineries in the country, the Dangote firm denied allegation of attempt to monopolise the oil and gas sector in the country.
In his submission, the Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPCL, Mele Kyari, stressed that the NNPCL, “is loyal and faithful to the country,” adding that its management vowed to protect the interest of Nigeria in the petroleum industry.
He observed that most problems in the petroleum industry, have nothing to do with NNPCL.
“We are faithful and loyal to the economic interest of this country. We are not criminals. We are not thieves. But we will protect our dignity and honour,” he added.
The NNPCL boss said it was not possible to frustrate any private refinery because the Petroleum Industry Act had limited the roles of each regulator in the oil and gas sector.
He said, “The NNPC is a company owned by over 200 million Nigerians. And I happen to be the chief executive of this company. 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 the Company and Allied Matters Act, (CAMA), which was legislated by this Honourable National Assembly had listed our roles.
“I will wait for the public hearing to reveal certain things. I also agree with the Minister that it should be broadcast live so that Nigerians will hear us. So that all the misinformation that you see today will be put to the side, so that Nigerians will know the truth.
“All of us here see what is happening in the media. Targeted personal attack on my person, on the institution, and we all know how this works. They are deliberate, they are calculated.
“It creates the impression that NNPC Limited and our leadership are doing something to create economic sabotage in our country. It is far from it.
“I assure you, Mr. Chairman, that the NNPC Limited and its board of directors and its shareholders are faithful, loyal to this country.”
Kyari added: “We do not lie to this country. And we do nothing to sabotage the economic interests of this country. As a matter of fact, NNPC is the economic interest of this country.”
In its response, Dangote Refinery, through its Group Strategy Officer, Aliyu Suleiman, said the firm had so far, bought about 50 million barrels of crude.
Sulaiman said, “About 60 per cent of that came from the NNPC, and we are thankful to them for their support. And we’re grateful to them for their support.
“About 20 per cent of that (crude) had to be imported from outside and the other 20 per cent we purchased.
“Essentially, all we are asking for, and let’s be very clear, we are happy to pay fair prices.
“We are very happy with the price that they set, the price is like supermarkets and that’s what we buy. But what we buy from others is what we think the regulator should look at and the good thing the regulator has done, is that it has published a guideline that will address some of these.
“We hope that we’ll work with the regulator and we’ll get their support so that the refinery can get 100 per cent of its crude from Nigeria and buy the crude from companies that produce it in Nigeria not from international middlemen.
“Whatever the prices, as long as it is in Nigeria, and that’s the price also that the producer will pay their tax on, we’ll be happy to pay that.
“Since the refinery started full trial production in January and then full time production started in March, since then we have processed about 50 million barrels
“We’ve produced about five million tons of petroleum products. And these petroleum products have been sold to various parts of the country.
“Jet fuel has been sold in Europe since May. It’s been sent to Europe. Other products have been sent to places as far as Asia, US, Brazil, and so on. So the refinery has been making a lot of progress.
“We have produced five million tons of products, but about 90 per cent of it had to be exported. While at the same time, the products we were producing had been imported into Nigeria.
“We find ourselves competing against Russian products that have been produced with oil that is valued at $60. “We all know that because of the cap that has been put on, put on Russian oil, the value of Russian oil today in the market is $60.
“That’s what Russia is using to produce their products and those products are being sent in large quantities into Africa to compete with products that are produced in refineries that buy crude at $90.
“We don’t think this will be a fair competitive environment. It is normal to put protective measures. The US, for example, has done that, to protect their own industries against attack by China that subsidize their own industries and then sends them to the US.”
Meanwhile, the Senate panel on the occasion raised questions over the $1.5 billion approved in 2021, for the turn-around maintenance of the Port Harcourt Refinery with little or no result.
Consequently, the upper chamber lamented that it was unfair and wrong to treat government businesses or public companies as an orphan while private businesses were flourishing and thriving.
Bamidele, who is the Leader of the Senate and Chairman, of the ad hoc panel investigating the Alleged Economic Sabotage in the Nigerian Petroleum Industry said the Federal Executive Council had approved the plan by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to rehabilitate and turn around the Port Harcourt Refinery with a whopping sum of $1.5 billion under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
He noted that despite the huge investment, the government-owned refinery was yet to function effectively, a situation that compelled the country to depend almost entirely on the importation of petroleum products.
Bamidele, expressed grave concerns about the dysfunctionality of the government-owned refineries despite billions of dollars invested to carry out turn-around maintenance on the installation.
He observed that the federation, “is undergoing a truly challenging period,” pointing out that the distribution and supply of refined petroleum products, “has been irregular and problematic in the recent history of our fatherland.”
“In 2021, specifically, the Federal Executive Council approved $1.5 billion for the turn-around maintenance of the Port Harcourt Refinery. Yet, this investment has not yielded significant returns.
“For us, in the Senate, we believe, it is unfair and unpatriotic to treat government businesses or public corporations as an orphan while private businesses are flourishing and thriving,” Bamidele pointed out at the interactive session.
The session was attended by Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun; Minister of State (Petroleum), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri; and Kyari. Others included the Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mr. Gbenga Komolafe; the Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Mr. Farouk Ahmed, major and independent oil marketers, among others
In his own remarks, Edun said the increase in the crude volume would stabilise the country’s foreign exchange market while expressing confidence in the leadership of the ad-hoc committee to conduct an unbiased and impartial investigation.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has pledged the full cooperation of the ministry with the senate which is investigating the sector.
“ In view of the fact that the quickest means to overcome our economic challenges lies within the petroleum sector, there is a need to keep Nigerians in the know of procedures and processes being carried out in our effort to transform and reposition our oil sector, bearing in mind the need to protect and promote our local players in the industry.
“I emphasised on this during my appearance before the Senate Adhoc Committee investigating alleged economic sabotage in the Nigerian petroleum industry, where I expressed my commitment to cooperating with the committee to put to rest some of the misinformation making rounds.
“The federal government, under President Bola Tinubu, remains committed to fostering the necessary synergy and partnerships to achieve our goals, and we are expediting efforts to complete rehabilitation works on our three refineries to ensure we meet our domestic petroleum needs efficiently,” Lokpobiri said on his X handle.
The National President of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Alhaji Abubakar Shettima in his presentation admonished the committee against monopoly in the petroleum sector.
“The current value chain in the downstream should be sustained to allow other investors to participate.
“NNPCL is doing its best but should please improve on supply of products to retail outlets across the country to end the incessant queue at filling stations,” he said.
NNPCL Probe: Ugochinyere Denies $1.7m Bribe to Abbas to Secure House Committee Chair Position
A Member of the House of Representatives, representing Ideato North and South Federal Constituency of Imo State and House Committee Chairman on Downstream Petroleum, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere has denied allegations that he gave $1.7 million to the House leadership to secure the committee Chairman position.
Ugochinyere, in a statement issued by his Chief of Staff, Ernest Njesi, said that it’s only a stupid and childish mind that could believe that he gave the Speaker $1.7 million.
He said that, “it’s a false and nonsensical belated attempts by individuals with vested interests who wants to provoke and divert attention from endemic corruption in the oil and gas industry.”
The lawmaker further said attempt to drag the Speaker and his name into a Hollywood fiction story was dead on arrival, adding that all those who aided the stories in one way or the other would face the wrath of the law including other smear campaigns.
While expressing support over the decision of the House leadership to dissolve the joint committee investigating challenges in the oil sector, he said he trusts the Speaker’s decision, adding that if setting up an ad-hoc committee to carry out the investigation was better, then he agrees with him.
“The allegation is a belated nonsensical, childish and unprofessional fiction work aimed at creating division in the House to aide some criminal elements who are long overdue for prison to think they can escape justice which is impossible as the demand for transparency and reform is a task that will be pushed.
“Only a childish mind will believe the poorly scripted work that Speaker was given $1.7 million dollars for something that those not worth a penny. We will not dignify the cheap attempt to distract and divert attention from the House investigation on the corruption from our oil industry,” he added.
Ugochinyere further said, “Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and Deputy Speaker Rt Hon. Benjamin Kalu’s all-inclusive administration style has kept the 10th House stable in the last one year. Their approach to governance has played a pivotal role in fostering a sense of inclusivity within the parliament. They embraced a collaborative approach that transcends party lines, fostering an environment where all voices are not only heard but also valued.
“So we are not bothered by the disjointed attacks and smear campaign against our Hon. Speaker, and the House leadership. These are efforts of unprofessional corrupt elements to pollute the media space in a desperate bid to seek cover from the inevitable that is coming. I remain focused in my fight for good governance.”
Also, the House of Representatives said at no time did the House leadership or anybody receive inducement for the appointment of any committee chairman.
According to a statement signed by the Spokesman of the House of Representatives, Hon Akin Rotimi, yesterday, the House said it was an assignment diligently executed by the Selection Committee of the House between June and July 2023, which has a member from each of the states of the federation.
On the recent dissolution of the Ad Hoc Committee on Oil and Gas Investigation which was chaired by Ugochinyere, the House stressed that the leadership of the House reserves the right to disband/dissolve an ad hoc committee whenever the need arises and that the action taken by the House to dissolve it did not contravene any rule or any law of the land.
On the alleged rift between the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker regarding the dissolution of the Ad Hoc Committee, the House said “the duo enjoys a robust and cordial relationship. The two Presiding Officers also have mutual respect for each other, and will not allow anything to come between them.”
