By Adewole Kehinde
“I will do my work with utmost integrity, after which I hope to stand before my creator to say I have done well,” Mele Kyari
On Wednesday, I saw a news report that the House of Representatives members has asked the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mele Kyari, to immediately commence operation of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company to improve on the production capacity.
What attracted my attention was one of the resolutions of the House of Representatives; “The House is Disturbed that the refinery has not operate optimally due to allegedly top Management decisions of the NNPC to ground the plant for personal benefit from marketers importing products that can be produced in the refinery”.
When you talk of accountability and transparency in the management of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to date, I give it to Mele Kyari.
It will be recalled that in his address at the Valedictory Session held for Maikanti Baru, the former GMD, Mele Kyari said, “There is no corruption where there is no discretion; we will work with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to take out discretion in our system.
“NNPC will not be opaque, we will make what we do know to Nigerians because we are working for them, and not doing them a favour,” he said.
He said that his team would be transparent and would not work to make deliberate mistakes.
Kyari added that he would not allow his personal interest to influence his decisions and urged his family members not to accept any gift from anyone.
I am very sure the House of Representatives resolutions must have been referring to past GMD of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation because Mele Kyari has removed discretion in doing business in the Corporation to ensure transparency and has open new ways to meet with all stakeholders and has also open up the NNPC by been accountable to citizens.
I must also commend the House of Representatives members decision in ensuring the immediately commencement of operation at the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company in order to improve on the production capacity.
The Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company had a mandate to produce refined product from mainly local crude and that the three main sections of the production department, namely: reforming, crude distillation and catalytic cracking units have operated for the past eight years due to the efforts of it personnel.
The plants were operating at an output of around 115m3/hour which translates to about 68 per cent of their installed capacity.
The products being supplied from the Refinery included; Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) or Petrol, Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), Kerosene (DPK), LPG, Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO) for Ships and Industrial Fuel and Carbon Black.
Mallam Mele Kyari since his assumption of office has been finding solutions to the various challenges facing the Refinery such as haulage challenges, neglect in the evacuation of products, lack of functional or operational storage tanks and poor maintenance culture on the part of management which also constitutes another reason for the refinery non – functionality.
Under Mele Kyari, Nigeria will be net exporter of petroleum products by 2023.
Adewole Kehinde is the Publisher of Swift Reporters and can be reached via 08166240846, 08123608662
