The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) says it has uncovered plans by some paid groups to discredit the the Mele Kyari – led Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPC).
The Association said this in a statement released on Wednesday and jointly signed by the President Asefon Sunday, and the Secretary General Adekitan Lukman.
In the statement, the leadership of NANS stated that it has received credible intelligence that certain individuals who, from inception of the present management of the NNPC, were unhappy have been mobilized to embark on protests to discredit the reforms being implemented by the Kyari-inspired leadership.
While demanding a speedy resolution of all issues and the normalization of fuel supply across the country to ameliorate the hardship being experienced by Nigerians, the Association said the steps so far taken by the NNPC in ensuring the timely distribution of petrol should be commended.
The statement said, “Let us join well-meaning fellow Nigerians to bemoan the serious fuel disruption across the country occasioned by the importation of bad premium motor spirit (PMS) by some approved dealers of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Ltd.
“Without a doubt, the majority of us are aware of the unfortunate development and have followed the various efforts of the NNPC Ltd, and its subsidiaries to address the telling situation.
“It is in this regard that we wish to assure our fellow countrymen and women that we are in this together and should stand together to demand a speedy resolution of all issues and the normalization of fuel supply across the country to ameliorate the hardship being experienced by Nigerians.
“While we make these and other demands of the government, we commend the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari for an inquiry into the dire fuel importation mishap which has put a strain on the supply chain and on Nigerians. It is our hope that the inquiry will be decisive and far-reaching.
“Also, while we acknowledge the avoidable situation we are in as a country after almost six years of no queues and scarcity, we frown at those who want to make political gain out of a purely operational issue and urge those behind the attempt to put a spanner in the smooth administrative structure of President Muhammadu Buhari at the NNPC to desist forthwith.
“The NANS is in receipt of credible intelligence that certain individuals who from inception of the present management of the NNPC were unhappy and still smacking from the impressive deliverables of the Mele Kyari inspired leadership and reforms in the corporation have mobilized hire-for-CSOs to embark on protests to paint the NNPC leadership in bad light.”
The Association hailed the reforms being implemented by Kyari, who it stated, “has breathed a new life into the national oil company.”
The statement added, “In his two years on the stead, Malam Kyari has done away with the nearly five decades’ opacity, unprofitability and lack of focus that was the hallmark of the oil corporation.
“It will be recalled that when Malam Kyari assumed office, he harped on transparency and accountability as his cardinal pillars of his management and this he did by the launch of the Transparency, Accountability and Performance Excellence (TAPE) initiative.
“To demonstrate his commitment to this, he opened up the corporation’s books the way no other management before him has done. It is to his credit that; the 2018 and 2019 audited financial statements of the corporation and its 19 subsidiaries registered under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 1990 as amended alongside that of the National Petroleum Investment and Management Services (NAPIMS) to provide clarity on Joint Venture finances were published and made available for those interested to access and scrutinize.”
“Still on the audited financial statements of the two years so far published is the 99.7 per cent reduction of the corporation’s loss profile from N803bn in 2018 to ₦1.7bn in 2019.”
The Kyari-led management, according to NANS has also sustained the corporation’s Monthly Financial & Operations Reports (MFOR) in line with the TAPE vision.
It said NNPC remains the only national oil company that publishes its financial and operations reports monthly globally.
“In case you may have forgotten, it is in this Mallam Kyari administration that over a 1,000 of our fellow young graduate trainees were recruited. At present, our refineries’ rehabilitation is at an advanced level.
“On April 16, he assisted the NNPC to sign the $1.5 billion engineering, procurement & construction (EPC) contract agreement with Tecnimont SpA to complete Port Harcourt refinery rehabilitation.
“Further to these achievements, Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Train 7 project in December 2019. The investment deal had been on the drawing board for over ten years.
“The project is expected to generate over $20bn of revenue to the government over the project’s lifecycle and create 10,000 direct and 40,000 indirect jobs,”
The statement noted that Kyari also led NNPC to take the final investment decision (FID) with the Brass Fertiliser and Petrochemical Company for the $3.6bn brass methanol plant in Odioma, Bayelsa state.
The decision, it added, was followed by signing a $260 million financing agreement for the Assa-North Ohaji South gas projects with Seplat and expected to deliver 300 million standard cubic feet of gas per day and 1,200 megawatts of electricity to the domestic market.
The statement further said, “At his inauguration, Kyari also promised to upscale engagement with stakeholders to ensure that stakeholders are carried along in the corporation’s operations.
“He has kept faith with this pledge by devoting time to honour invitations from the relevant committees of the national assembly, holding periodic engagement sessions with critical stakeholders, including the media.
“While the list of what Malam Kyari has performed is inexhaustible, it goes against the grain of common sense for anybody or group to want to link him to any untoward happenings at the NNPC especially over contaminated fuel that is presently being recalled as unfortunate and diversionary.
“We as members NANs wish to urge the NNPC to be courageous and focused and work hard to clear the roads, and find a means to compensate those whose cars may have been adversely affected.
“NANS commends the pragmatic response of the Kyari led NNPC on the declaration of 24-hour loading and dispensing activities in all their designated outlets including the independent major marketers, In a bid to accelerate nationwide distribution of Premium Motor Spirit, all towards easing the Affairs and availability of petrol to Nigeria people.”