We Are Not Thieves – NNPC Tells Senate

Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, has insisted they are not thieves or criminals.

Kyari also denied having knowledge of the substandard importation of petroleum products into the country.

He stated this while speaking in Abuja, when he appeared before the Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, APC, Ekiti Central led Senate Ad- hoc Committee to Investigate the alleged Economic sabotage in the Nigerian Petroleum Industry with some critical stakeholders in the Petroleum Industry, Kyari said that as an organization, they don’t lie, they are not criminals or thieves, not fighting or persecuting anyone, not sabotaging anyone or organisation, the oil and gas industry is bleeding.

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According to him, as the GCEO of the company, he has faced undue media attacks from persons doing everything to create the impression that NNPCL is sabotaging the nation’s economy adding that the oil and gas industry is bleeding and that there are things he knew but could not talk about in public until “the time comes.

“The company is faithful and will not lie to the country. He says ‘We are not criminals and we are not thieves. We will protect our dignity so we can serve this country.

Kyari said, “It is our duty to protect the overall interest of this country by the provisions of the law, Mr. Chairman. The Petroleum Industry Act, the Company and Allied Matters Act, and other enabling regulations and laws that govern the activity of the oil and gas industry. Mr. Chairman, we are not in breach of any one of them.

“Mr. Chairman, the NNPCL is a company owned by over 200 million Nigerians. And I happen to be the Chief Executive Officer of this company. And the law is clear around what the chief executive of this company will do.

“Our memorandum article of association, the Petroleum Industry Act, and all other enabling, including CAMA, which was legislated by this Honourable National Assembly. We are clear that the board and management of NNPCL must maximise value for this company, Mr. Chairman. This company cannot have negative profits for three years.

“CAMA says you can shut it down. Mr. Chairman, it is our job to protect this company. But it is also our job to protect other businesses around us.

This company has grown, Mr. Chairman. We are proud to say this. From a lost company for 43 years to a profit-making company today, Mr. Chairman. Everybody believes, by sheer misinformation which my Minister has highlighted, that NNPCL is responsible for creating any economic sabotage in our country.

“Mr. Chairman, refining business is straight business. You must secure your feedstock and you must secure a market. This is basic even for NMPC refiners, we have done nothing to sabotage any domestic refinery. Any one of them. There are many of them.

“We do not lie to this country. And we do nothing to sabotage the economic interests of this country. As a matter of fact, NMPC is the economic interest of this country.

“And we understand it very, very badly. Just by the provisions of the law, and also, and I can share this with you, for me and my colleagues in the NMPC, even by conviction of faith, Mr. Chairman, we’ll do nothing. We believe there is eternal accountability, Mr. Chairman.

“Even if you don’t unravel what is happening, we know that God knows. And that God will hold us accountable. And we’re after no one. We are not persecuting nobody. We are not criminals. We are not thieves.

“We are serving our country, and we believe very, very strongly that we are faithful, loyal to this country. And that we, this Senate, and I believe this very, very strongly, that we protect our dignity, so that we can serve this country. Tomorrow will come. That tomorrow may not be on this world, but to be in the hereafter. And we believe that there is eternal accountability. And we mean, and we understand very clearly, that this President means well.

“Secondly, and more importantly, NNPCL has nothing to do with imports of products that are substandard. It is very clear, Mr. Chairman, there are rules, there are regulators. We follow the rules. We follow the rules. Nobody will bring product into this country that doesn’t meet the specifications. If it does happen, it’s a crime. And it couldn’t have passed through any regulatory institution. It is impossible.”