BY SAM OTUONYE
Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), has denied owning or operating any petroleum blending plant in Malta.
The statement comes in response to allegations made by Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group, accusing some NNPC workers of establishing a blending plant in Malta that obstructs local procurement of petroleum products.
Kyari refuted the allegations in a post on his X handle on Tuesday, sent to Journalists, by the company’s Corporate Communications Department, emphasizing that neither he nor any NNPC employees have any business interests or operations in Malta or any other part of the world, apart from a small local agricultural venture.
“I am inundated by inquiries from family members, friends, and associates regarding the public declaration by Aliko Dangote that some NNPC workers have established a blending plant in Malta, thereby impeding procurements from local production of petroleum products,” Kyari wrote.
Kyari further assured that a blending plant in Malta or any other part of the world has no bearing on NNPC’s business operations and strategic actions.
He reiterated that NNPC’s compliance sanction grid would apply to any employee found to be involved in such activities.
“I strongly recommend that such individuals be declared public and be made known to relevant government security agencies for necessary actions in view of the grave implications for national energy security,” Kyari stated.
This clarification aims to address and dispel the allegations brought forward by Dangote and reassure the public and stakeholders of the integrity and transparency of NNPC’s operations.
Aliko Dangote, chairman of Dangote Industries Limited, speaking at the house of Representatives, Monday, has alleged some personnel of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, oil traders and terminals have opened a blending plant in Malta.
An oil blending plant has no refining capability but can be used to blend re-refined oil (a used motor oil that has been treated to remove dirt, fuel, and water) with additives to create finished lubricant products, adding that the areas of the blending plants are known.
“Some of the terminals, some of the NNPC people and some traders have opened a blending plant somewhere off Malta,
“We all know these areas. We know what they are doing.” Dangote stated.
Addressing the drop in diesel prices, the billionaire said the diesel produced locally at 650 parts per million (ppm) and 700 ppm is of better quality than imported fuel.
Dangote said many vehicle issues can be traced back to the “substandard” imported fuel.
He urged the leadership of the house of representatives to set up an independent committee to verify the quality of petrol available at filling stations.
“I want you to set up a committee that will come with every representative headed by your chosen honourable member to come and lead in taking samples from filling stations because I must tell you today that all the test certificates that people are busy floating around, where are the labs? Even if they have the labs, I can tell you they are fake certificates,” he said.
“The real one that you now know that they are right is to take from the filling station and also come and take from our production line. Now, you will be able to tell Nigerians that this is it.”
On Monday, the house of representatives joint committee on petroleum resources (downstream and midstream) launched a probe into claims that local refineries, including the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, produce inferior products.
The committee is also investigating the allegations that the international oil companies (IOCs) in Nigeria are frustrating the survival of the Dangote refinery.