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NNPC has nothing to hide – Mele Kyari
Modupe ASUDO
Abuja-THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC has cleared the air on alleged financial breaches in its operations by the Special Presidential Investigative Panel for the Recovery of Public Property.
Speaking while receiving the Chairman and members of the Panel at the NNPC Towers on Monday, Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, said the Corporation had nothing to hide as it stood to gain a lot by being transparent in all areas of operation.
“Every member of our Management shares the vision of Mr. President that Government’s institutions must be accountable to all Nigerians. We know that we will gain more by being more transparent. We have nothing to hide,” Kyari told the Panel.
NNPC GMD, Engr. Mele Kyari
Responding to the issues raised by the Panel on the alleged underpayment of lease renewal fees on Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) 67, 68, and 70 by ExxonMobil, Kyari said the company paid $600m which was their equity contribution of 40% of the Joint venture agreement after which NNPC was to pay the remaining 60% but it became unnecessary as it represented the government.
“Ordinarily, NNPC would have contributed the balance of 60% of the amount which literally meant government paying monies to itself. There was no need for that,”Kyari enthused.
On the alleged breach of government’s Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy, the GMD said the NNPC has no secret account, emphasizing that “there is no single account NNPC is operating that is unknown to the Federal Government. Any account(s) outside the TSA platform are partner accounts which we have obtained due approvals from the government.’’, he noted.
Mele Kyari, who observed that all monies belonging to the corporation were domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), added that the Corporation’s account managers remain the CBN and the Accountant General of the Federation.
Shedding more light on the alleged non-remittances of taxes and royalties by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), NNPC’s upstream arm, Mele Kyari stated there were outstanding payments which arose as a result of the pillage that occurred before 2015.a
He, however, assured the Panel that this administration has made concerted efforts to reconcile every payment due to the Federation on taxes and royalties.
“The only outstanding payment is the $600m and we have a pre-payment plan with the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) such that by mid-2020, we will have money left to be paid”, he noted.
On alleged non-remittances by some oil companies operating in the country, the NNPC boss said it was the responsibility of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to collect taxes and royalties from oil companies, including those on Joint Venture (JV) and Production Sharing Contract (PSC) arrangement.
Kyari further noted that the NNPC would provide the necessary support to the agencies concerned in that regard though it has no legal obligation to do so. “As an enabler organization, we will support them because we see our roles beyond our immediate responsibility,” he said.
While affirming the Corporation’s commitment to transparency and accountability, Kyari said the Corporation is one of the most accountable public institutions in the country, saying ‘’this is the only company that publishes its operations and financial reports monthly. I’m not aware of any company that does that in the world.”
Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the Presidential Panel, Chief Okoi Obono- Obla said their visit was to seek synergy with the NNPC towards reforming the country and particularly to clear the air on issues relating to the operations of the Corporation.
He expressed the Panel’s satisfaction with NNPC’s “frank and honest responses on the issues raised, describing the Corporation “as a very important and transparent national institution with a GMD who has a track record of accountability and transparency in his public career.”
“The GMD has a reputation of being an apostle of accountability and transparency. I feel very happy that somebody like him is coming out to clarify the key issues. Nigerians have been misled, it behoves on every organization to tell Nigerians the truth to engender transparency in the entire polity”.
A gas cylinder explosion at a filling station in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State has resulted in significant damage to six vehicles, according to a statement from the Katsina State Police Command.
The command’s spokesperson, Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, confirmed the incident, which occurred on Friday, November 15, 2024.
He explained that a loud explosion alerted police operatives from the Jibia Divisional Police Headquarters. Responding promptly, the Divisional Police Officer led a team to the site, supported by military personnel.
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“Upon arrival, operatives found a truck loaded with gas cylinders engulfed in flames at Tamal filling station, along Kagadama-Magamar Jibia Road,” Sadiq-Aliyu stated. The joint team acted swiftly, deploying measures to protect lives and limit property damage. Their efforts successfully extinguished the fire.
The spokesperson added, “Six motor vehicles were significantly affected by the fire incident, but fortunately, no life was lost.”
State Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Abubakar-Musa, has directed a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the explosion. Updates on the findings will be provided as investigations progress.
This incident highlights the need for heightened safety measures at gas filling stations to prevent such occurrences.
Students of the University of Calabar have raised serious concerns about the deteriorating condition of several hostels on campus, with many fearing that the buildings could collapse due to structural damage.
The alarming situation was highlighted during a phone-in segment of the university’s Unical International Radio programme, What I Will Do If I Had Power to Run Unical, on Thursday evening.
Students, particularly those residing in Hostels 8 and 9, expressed deep worry about the growing number of cracks appearing on the walls, exacerbated by the ongoing heavy rains in Calabar.
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These cracks, they fear, could lead to the collapse of the structures, posing a significant safety risk to residents.
Jane, a female student from Malabo Republic, spoke out on the programme, emphasizing the urgency of addressing the issue.
She said, “If I had the power to run this school, the first thing I would do is initiate a massive renovation of the hostels, especially those in Malabo Republic.
“The cracks in the walls of halls 1, 2, 4, 8, and 9 are major safety concerns. The rains we’ve been having could worsen the situation and lead to a disaster. These walls could cave in at any time, and the consequences could be devastating.”
Other students echoed similar concerns, highlighting the lack of basic amenities such as electricity, which has contributed to unhygienic conditions within the hostels.
This has led to unhealthy activities in the dormitories, further adding to the students’ frustrations.
In response to the complaints, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Florence Bankong Obi, assured the students that the issue had been noted and that action would be taken to address the dilapidated state of the hostels.
“We are aware of the situation, and it has already been included in our plans for immediate action,” Prof. Obi stated.
The students are now calling on the university administration, as well as the Students’ Union Government, to prioritize the renovation of the hostels and ensure the safety and well-being of all residents.
The Ikeja High Court has scheduled January 23 for the hearing of a high-profile defamation case filed by renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and his son, musician and activist Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz, against social media personality Vincent Otse, also known as “VeryDarkMan” (VDM).
At Thursday’s proceedings, counsel for Falana and Falz, Mr. Muiz Banire (SAN), informed the court that the necessary documents, including the originating process, had been filed and served to the opposing party.
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Banire added that a motion on notice was served on October 25, though Justice Matthias Dawodu noted that the originating process was not currently before the court.
To address the matter, Banire requested an adjournment to allow for administrative filings to be properly completed.
“In this circumstance, my lord, the best thing to do is to adjourn the matter so that we can go back to the registry to file all the administrative processes,” Banire told the court.
In response, counsel for VeryDarkMan, Mr. Marvin Omorogbe, raised concerns about the procedural validity of the case, asserting that there was no valid writ of summons before the court.
Omorogbe argued that the current writ was legally invalid and urged the court to dismiss the case on those grounds.
Justice Dawodu ultimately granted the adjournment request, setting the hearing for January 23 to allow the claimants time to address the procedural issues.
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