As Nigerians continue to face increasing hardship and unpredictability in the oil and gas prices, a coalition of civil society groups has called for greater transparency and accountability in the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPCL).
The groups, Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative, Public Accountability Situation Room, Guardians of Democracy and Development Initiative, and Independent Public Service Accountability Watch respectively placed the hardship been experienced in the country to lack of transparency in the management of the oil and gas sector.
In a statement jointly signed by Danesi Momoh Prince, Igwe Ude-Umanta, Mallam Suleiman Musa and Godwin Uluoha Esq., National Coordinators and Conveners of the group raised concerns about alleged mismanagement, corruption, and lack of accountability within the NNPCL under the leadership of Mele Kyari.
According to the statement, “we are saddened with the fact that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has continued to allow the notorious cartel that has created all the deadly petroleum economic problems that Nigerians are facing now to remain in power. Mele Kyari, masquerading as the Group Managing Director (GMD) of Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) is unarguably the head of that cartel. We can’t fold our hands and watch Mele Kyari and his band of rogues destroy our economy and standard of living. Our Coalition will fight to a standstill including facing the Tinubu administration until the right thing is done”
The CSOs maintained that, as responsible actors and stakeholders, they’ll continue to engage the government through an actionable timetable detailing the role of Mele Kyari and his known foot soldiers who are causing the hardship faced by Nigeria as a result of the removal of subsidy, insisting that they won’t stop until their concerns are addressed and justice done to the suffering and impoverished Nigerians.
“It is our plan to continue to call attention to this problem of monstrous dimension through the media and peaceful protests in the days ahead including a vigil at the NNPCL Towers and Aso Rock. For the records, the entire crises are centred on the subsidy scam which was supervised by the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mr. Mele Kyari including the horrendous oil swap deal which is done in utmost secrecy and in which records show that Nigeria has been shortchanged by trillions of Naira, “the statement added.
The Coalition stated further that Kyari was aware of massive oil theft long before acknowledging it publicly. The release criticised Kyari’s response to their allegations, stating that he deployed a group of individuals to dismiss their claims as a “Campaign of Calumny.”
Part of the statement read, “Kyari was very much aware of the massive oil theft long before he spoke up to tactically exonerate himself. But we are sadly amused that rather than answer to our fact-backed claims, Kyari deployed a group hirelings to call us names, labelling it a ‘campaign of calumny’. What is calumnious in our position? Is it that he supervised the subsidy scam till it spiralled out of control? Is it that his Direct Sell – Direct Purchase (Oil Swap) deal was done in secrecy and in a manner that suggests that corruption was inevitable? Is it that gross oil theft was not happening under him a long time before he eventually made a face serving effort by speaking up about it?”
In response to claims made by Stand Up Nigeria, a faceless group presumably paid to support Kyari’s theft at NNPCL, the Coalition refuted the achievements listed by this group, such as interim dividend payments and reported profits, and questioned the lack of transparency surrounding the financial records of NNPCL
“The statements attributed to Stand Up Nigeria are to say the least ridiculous. It is shameful that NNPCL under Mr. Mele Kyari has listed its achievements through this hired group. The fact that Nigerian Nigerians have endured for too long in silence doesn’t mean we don’t know anything. For a company that claims to service oil subsidy with over N4.39 trillion in a year, why can a sane person record that the company making some money after that subsidy has been removed is an achievement? Are these guys in NNPCL this daft?
“As for the claim of making those paltry profits of N287 billion and N674 million in 2020 and 2021, including other claims of minimizing losses and being the first GMD to declare profit, can Nigerians see the audited account of NNPCL? Why is there never an audited account of NNPC or NNPCL known to the public? Is it a security document? It is even a shame for Mele Kyari to boast about declaring those paltry sums as profits, even as the entire claim is in itself unverified.
If oil theft has been stopped and culprits apprehended, where are they? This is nothing but blatant falsehood that must be disregarded.
The statement finally charged Mele Kyari to make available the Energy Transition program and mention exactly when the refineries will start production, account for the cost as well as other shady and embarrassing transactions he has been involved in instead of employing blackmail and threats to divert the attention of Nigerians taxpayers who deserve to know what’s going on with their collective wealth.
According to the release, “let us remind Mr. Kyari that no amount of blackmail, intimidation or diversionary tactics will deter us on this patriotic campaign. Soon, we shall take the struggle to the NNPCL Towers till the whole truth is laid bare. We demand for transparency, accountability and we’ll continue to demand that Mr. President acts to expose the heinous crimes in the petroleum sector”.
