The Network of Oil Producing Communities in Nigeria (NOPCN) has scolded the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) for allegedly misleading the President and Nigerians about the operation of the Port-Harcourt refinery.
Corroborating the comments of the Secretary of the Alesa Community Stakeholders, Timothy Mgbere, the Network claims that the NNPCL evacuated the dead stocks into waiting trucks, making it seem like the refinery was producing freshly refined products.
The NOPCN criticised the NNPCL for shutting down the refinery sooner than claimed, stating that they “ran out of lies” and couldn’t deceive the President any further.
The group also called for the removal of the NNPCL’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mallam Mele Kyari, for his alleged role in misleading the President and Nigerians.
The statement partly read: “It also doesn’t surprise us that the NNPCL shut down the refinery sooner than they claimed it was operating. That’s because they ran out of lies and couldn’t cajole the President any further.
“Kyari should be so sober right now and I believe he is already aware that the much celebrated 60,000 capacity segment of the refinery they claimed to have rehabilitated was shut down 2 days ago and no activity is happening there any longer.
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“The President should not wait any further before he sacks Mele Kyari and all his accomplices in this national monumental trick they pulled on Nigerians on Tuesday.”
The group stated that Kyari should not only be sacked but should be compelled to tell Nigerians what happened to over N17 trillion injected into the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries.
“Nigerians should also join our Network to say no to conversion of any of the refineries to a blending plant. We all know the environmental degredation our people having been facing over oil exploration and bunkering activities. We don’t want any further hazard on our land. Kyari should just deliver exactly what the government paid for and stop fighting our leaders in the host communities,” the statement read.
The group threw their weight behind Chief Mgbere, Secretary to the Alesa Community Stakeholders Forum, who appeared on a national television show on Thursday, alleging that the Port Harcourt refinery only loaded six trucks on Tuesday, despite stating that 200 trucks would be picked up from the refinery daily.
He added that the many trucks parked within the premises were filled with dead stock and off-spec old products.
Alesa, one of the 10 major communities in Eleme, Rivers State, is the host community of the Port Harcourt Refinery.
But in response to the allegations, the NNPCL denied claims by the Alesa community leader. In a statement signed Friday by its Spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, the agency said it did not lie when it said the Port Harcourt refinery was producing crude oil.
The NNPCL accused Mgbere of crass ignorance of how a refinery runs, saying it would not have dignified him with a response if not for a need to set the records straight.
