A CALL FOR SACK OF MELE KYARI, GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR OF NNPCL BY SOLOMON JACKRICH EGBERIPAPA

From unfolding events in recent weeks, it is disheartening to know that our assertion of the calculated conspiracy by few individuals to hijack and have absolute control of the nation’s economy has proven to be nothing short of the truth.

These powerful individuals have perfected their scheme by deploying the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited – NNPCL and the Dangote group as conduit pipes to drain the nation’s economy in order to satisfy their insatiable gluttony for wealth at the expense of the Nigerian people.

These evil machinations have continued to thrive being successfully shrouded in secrecy, but the time has come for us to join forces to rescue our collective economy and resources from the holds of these enemies of our dear nation.

The abuse of powers by the Mele Kyari led NNPCL has become so alarming and daring to the extent that one would wonder where it derived such powers to become the sole supplier of the nation’s crude to Dangote to the tune of 300,000 barrels daily for the next 20 years.

Mele Kyari, the NNPCL Group CEO, who disclosed this at the Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunities Fair 2023 which held in Bayelsa last month, failed to state at what benchmark rate it would peg the sale of the nation’s crude oil to the Dangote Refinery.

However inside sources have disclosed to us that the nation’s 300,000 barrels daily crude oil to be sold by the NNPCL to Dangote would be transacted in our Naira currency, and not at the global market oil benchmark rates for the purpose of personal gains.

In another breath, as the popular saying goes, ‘nothing hides under the sun’; thus, only a few days ago, publications on June 14th, 2023 surfaced in some ‘not too regular media platforms with the caption “NNPCL Issues Petrol Import License to Dangote Weeks After the Launch of Dangote Refinery”.

According to the report, NNPCL surreptitiously issued a license to Aliko Dangote to import petroleum products, weeks after Dangote Refinery was commissioned.

Sources at the presidency confirmed that the license will see Dangote importing refined Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) into Nigeria.

The imported fuel would be discharged at the Dangote barge, where it will be pumped into tanks at the newly commissioned refinery for onward distribution across the country, to give the impression that the new refinery has commenced operation.

The import of this is that the sole importation of Premium Motor Spirit – PMS will likely shift from the NNPCL to Dangote; thus, further confirming my earlier position that the Dangote Refinery commissioned on May 22nd 2023 was not ready for operation.

PMS imported by Dangote is expected to sell at an international market-dictated price to marketers, which also implies that the crashing down of the price of PMS and other petroleum products as expected by Nigerians is far from becoming a reality.

This means a continuous unhindered access and monopoly of the nation’s oil industry by a single individual as no other individual or company is yet to be granted the PMS import license; this was the same way Dangote succeeded to have monopoly of the entire nation’s cement industry while everyone else looks on.

The generality of Nigerians have been largely counting on the commencement of the operation of the Dangote refinery to mitigate the cost of PMS which currently sells above #500 per liter, following the removal of subsidy by President Bola Tinubu.

But with these developments, the hope of Nigerians have been dashed; and they will continue groaning in economic deprivation till whenever the refinery finally comes on stream.

President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote had during the commissioning of the 650,000 barrels per day capacity refinery, promised that products from the refinery will hit the market by the end of July or August 2023.

The audacious false assurance by Dangote stemmed from his unholy and underhanded pact with the NNPCL led by Mele Kyari of which as can be deduced, had obviously been perfected prior to the commissioning of the facility.

And with this development, claims in several quarters saying the refinery is over 85% completed and would start to distribute petroleum products across the country in July or August this year in line with the assurance by Aliko Dangote is totally in doubt.

From our sources, reality on ground at the new Dangote Refinery commissioned in May does not guarantee it commencing operation even in 2024.

You would recall that same way that Mele Kyari, the NNPCL group CEO gave assurances last year that the Kaduna, Warri and Port Harcourt refineries would be fully operational before the end of the Buhari administration, proved to be a big lie, and yet no one has been made to account for the lies told Nigerians and the funds already committed to such futile venture.

According to section 197 (2) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) is the only organ tasked with the responsibility to issue licenses for the importation of petroleum products.

So how the NNPCL assumed that responsibility to issue license to Dangote to import PMS is a mystery that needs to be unraveled.

While the NNPCL has denied claims that it gave a license to Alhaji Aliko Dangote to import petrol pending the completion of his refinery, it failed to name where such license emanated from. Because the NNPCL cannot claim to be ignorant of that being a holder of 20% shares in the Dangote refinery.

The NMDPRA saddled with the responsibility to issue licenses for the importation of petroleum products too has not also taken responsibility for the issuance of the license to Dangote.

And sadly, the House of Representatives which is tasked to represent the interest of the generality of Nigerians, in kick-starting plenary activities, rejected the motion to suspend the license allegedly granted to Dangote Refinery as the sole importer of Petroleum Motor Spirit.

A patriotic federal lawmaker Gali Tijjani had called for the suspension of the license for a review to accommodate all the petroleum marketers.

The House of Reps, however, moved against the motion without recourse to investigating the controversy surrounding the issued license to Dangote.

One would expect that with a new government in place which came into power through an electoral process that many perceive as flawed and currently being challenged at the courts, our leaders ought to work diligently to gain the confidence of the people by being firm in their commitment to serve the interest of Nigerians, instead of that of a select few who are bent on converting the Nigerian resources into personal estate.

They ought to work towards strengthening public institutions with a view to ensuring that public officers are made to account for their stewardship during and after service.

Individuals ought not to be bigger or stronger than public institutions as is currently the case in Nigeria.

MY PRAYERS THEREFORE:

1. That President Ahmed Bola Tinubu should immediate sack the Group Managing Director of NNPCL, Mele Kyari and order for his investigation, as there are clear evidence of abuse of office and gross misconduct against him.

2. That this is a call to President Tinubu and the 10th National Assembly to probe the alleged issuance of license to Dangote by the NNPCL for the importation of PMS.

3. That President Tinubu and the National Assembly should revoke the license issued by the NNPCL to Dangote and declare it null and void, as it breaches the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, and also bring anyone found complicit in the action to book.

4. That President Tinubu should probe the planned sales of the 300,000 barrels daily crude oil by the NNPCL to Dangote with the Naira currency instead of at the international oil benchmark rates.

5. That the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) should fast track the process of issuing licenses for importation of petroleum products to independent marketers in order to break the hold of monopoly by the NNPCL, to increase competition and ultimately force down the prices of petroleum products.

6. That Nigerians, especially members of the civil society should be aware of this conspiracy by few highly placed individuals to hijack the nation’s economy, converting same to their private estate, and resist them.

7. And that I also call on the media often regarded as the fourth estate of the realm to pay a closer attention to the activities of the NNPCL under the leadership of Mele Kyari, with a view to exposing his underhanded dealings, as these corrupt practices have continued to thrive being shrouded in secrecy.