… Say Those Seeking Removal Of Kyari, Komolafe, Farouk Enemies Of Nigeria
Foremost northern group, the Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) and the Unified Nigerian Youth Forum (UNYF), a prominent civil society organization have said that the Nigerian National Company Ltd has exceeded the expectations of Nigerians by declaring a mega N5.98tn profit before tax.
The groups also called for the support of NNPC Ltd’s two million barrels per day production target, adding that those seeking the sack of the Group’s Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, are enemies of Nigeria.
The groups took the position in a statement signed by the Speaker of AYA, Mohammed Salihu Danlami and the President of UNYF Comrade Abdulsalam Moh’d Kazeem, sent to NewsNGR.
On Monday, the state-owned energy firm declared a 46-year record profit before tax of N5.98tn, profit after tax of N3.3tn and a record dividend payment of N2.1tn.
The firm’s total assets rose to N246.8trn during the period.
It said, “We are not surprised, this is not the first milestone he has achieved, Kyari is a record breaker, it’s his usual way of operating, his antecedents speak volumes of him, he is the only and first ever to break the jinx and declare a profit in the over 40 years of NNPCL existence, now he has broken his record, surpassed the profit growth only him has achieved.
“Mr. Kyari has remained the most honest, transparent, accountable and excellent individual to head the NNPCL, his commitment to work is second to none and his initiatives have so far lifted the NNPCL from the shackles of revenue loss and leakages to a profit-making organisation, giving it a new reputation in Nigeria, Africa and the world.”
The NYA secretary underpinned how the NNPCL has undergone a phase of “defying gravity against all odds” to change the company’s loss-making narratives.
In 2018, the NNPC was a loss-making company declaring N803bn, and the company narrowed the loss to N1.7bn in 2019.
Under Kyari’s leadership, the firm declared N287bn profit in 2020, a N674.1bn profit in 2022 and the profit surged to N2.548tn in 2023.
AYA attributed the success to, “The introduction of the Transparency, Accountability, and Performance Excellence (TAPE), which mandated the publication of the Monthly Financial and Operations Reports (MFOR) of the NNPCL, first of its kind in the whole world, to promote accountability, transparency, gain public trust and also to attract investors.
“Stopping revenue leakages by curbing crude oil theft, through collaboration with security agencies and private security contractors while also establishing a control centre known as the Central Coordination, Data Integration, and Activation Control Room to provide surveillance of all the country’s oil and gas assets in the Niger Delta.
“It is clear now that Mr Kyari is synonymous with success, has put all naysayers, those blackmailing and slandering him to shame with the enviable heights he has always achieved. While we congratulate Mele Kyari, the Board, Management and staff of the NNPCL, we plead with Nigerians and security agencies to support the Kyari-led NNPCL in achieving the target 2 million barrels per day of crude oil production by the end of the year.”
Similarly, the UNYF President, said N3.29tn net profit for the 2023 financial year depicts transparency and accountability on the part of the firm.
The group said individuals and groups calling for independent leadership and the sack of the NNPCL GCEO are “enemies of Nigeria.”
Comrade Kazeem said the recent attacks on the management of the state-owned firm are “mischievous and politically motivated.”
A group, the Citizens and Economic Freedom Rights Activists in Nigeria (CEFRAN), had launched a campaign for independent leadership for the NNPCL and oil and gas agencies, including the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Nigerian Midstream Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
But UNYF said “The NNPCL and regulatory agencies have come under fire from a cross-section of Nigerians over comments made in connection with Dangote Refinery Limited. After a thorough investigation, we have discovered that those comments were taken out of context and misrepresented to suit a particular narrative.
“It is for instance, very malicious to call for the removal of Chief Executive Officers whose tenure is active and ongoing simply because they have performed their duties. The fact that the facts they presented made some persons uncomfortable does not mean they should be illegally removed from office
“The CEOs of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr. Mele Kyari, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Engr. Gbenga Komolafe and Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NM), Mr. Farouk Ahmed have both performed credibly well leading to an astronomical increase production of crude oil. The fact that Nigerian crude output is in the threshold of 2 million barrels per day is the handiwork of these gentlemen.”
The group urged the management of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals to desist from blackmailing the NNPCL and oil and gas regulators.
Kazeem said, “Dangote Refinery Limited must therefore play by the rules and stop running to the media to blackmail patriotic Nigerians and seek cheap sympathy. NNPCL and regulators in the oil and gas sector are doing extremely well if not the progress made so far wouldn’t have been recorded. We therefore, resist attempts to truncate the tenures of these gentlemen”.
“Having done our findings and discovered the great work NNPCL is doing in conjunction with regulatory agencies, we are left with no choice but to pass a vote of confidence in the team and urge them to continue serving the nation. Those calling for probes and sacks are cowards and should not be taken seriously. NNPCL is on track and all well-meaning Nigerians are fully behind them.”