A group under the aegis of Stand Up Nigeria has said those calling for the sack of the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, were simply enemies of progress and very unpatriotic.
They described those behind the call and a “campaign of calumny” as detractors who are envious of the giant strides and achievements of Kyari.
In a press statement on Saturday in Abuja by the converner of the group, Sunday Attah, he said anybody calling for Kyari’s removal was simply an enemy of progress and unpatriotic.
According to him, Kyari made an historic payment of interim dividend into the federation account in less than three months into the stoppage of the subsidy payment.
Setting the records straight, Attah pointed out that since Kyari came into office, NNPCL recorded N287 billion profit in 2020, N674 million in 2021 and minimised the NNPCL losses from N803 billion to as low as N1.5 million.
“These mischief makers are uncomfortable with the strides recorded by Mele Kyari. He is a man conscious of his duties and from records, has discharged them creditably.
“His records speak for him. Prominent among this achievement merits of Mele Kyari: 1. PIA, 2. Transformation of the NNPC to NNPCL, 3. His fight against pipelines vandalization, 4. His fight against Crude Oil theft, 5. The first GMD to declare profit to the federal government, 6. Energy transition programs.
“During the President Buhari Administration he did not only advised and championed subsidy removal but also provided a template for vehicles to be converted to CNG to cushion the removal as anti-price hike, which is also part Mele Kyari’s Energy transition program.
“Today enemies of Nigeria and certain people with ulterior motives are sponsoring campaigns of calumny to misguide President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and deprive him from enjoying this jewel. We are calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not only disregard their calls but to support Mele Kyari and his team in NNPCL to execute the CNG program to the finish.
“The genuine award of pipeline security contract to Mr. Government Ekpemupolo and his TANTITA pipeline surveillance outfit which has ended crude oil stealing and uncover countless culprits in collaboration with the Nigerian Military and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
“Further more is the revamping of our refineries which will be fully in operation by December. He has also attracted so many local and foreign investors into our oil and gas sector.
“If you look at the expertise, professionalism and pedigree of Mele Kyari, everyone will agree with me that he was a right peg in a round hole. He is a process-minded person and that is what these sponsors of this mischief story don’t want.
“Just yesterday the 4th of August 2023 the president performed the ground-breaking ceremony and officially kicked off the construction of the 1,350mw Gwagwalada Independent Power Plant (GIPP) in Abuja, with the first phase expected to comprise 350mw. This highly significant project to the nation, will mark the first bold step in this administration’s effort in partnership with NNPCL under the leadership of Mele Kyari
“To establish a strong and virile energy sector and deliver uninterrupted power to all Nigerians.
“Attah said oil cabals and those who don’t want anything good for Nigeria has resorted to maligning him in some section of the Media because of his unwavering stance on due process, probity and best practices in the conduct of the company’s businesses.
“We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to concentrate and do the rescue job that he has started especially in the oil sector to reposition Nigeria and these can only be done with a proactive and transparent man like Mele Kyari as the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL,” he stated.
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