The Network of Oil Producing Communities in Nigeria (NOPCN) has criticized the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) for allegedly providing misleading information to Nigerians regarding the operations of the Port Harcourt refinery.
In a statement jointly signed on Sunday by its President, Igeniwari Edward, and Comrade Omototsho Ogbe, the Network of Oil Producing Communities in Nigeria (NOPCN) alleged that the petroleum products loaded from the recently rehabilitated Port Harcourt refinery were not newly refined but rather “dead stocks” stored in tanks since 2016.
Supporting the claims of Timothy Mgbere, Secretary of the Alesa Community Stakeholders, the group accused the NNPCL of evacuating these old stocks into waiting trucks to create the impression that the refinery was producing freshly refined products.
The NOPCN criticized the NNPCL for shutting down the refinery earlier than publicly claimed, accusing the corporation of “running out of lies” and being unable to further mislead the President.
The group also demanded the removal of the NNPCL’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mallam Mele Kyari, for allegedly deceiving both the President and the Nigerian public.
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.
“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.
Chief Mgbere, Secretary to Alesa Community Stakeholders Forum, had 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, adding that the many trucks parked within the premises were tucked up with dead stock and off-spec of old products.
Reports on Saturday revealed that the NNPCL had halted operations “for now,” with only its non-petroleum unit, the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU), remaining active.
The CDU reportedly produces naphtha, kerosene, and diesel but cannot generate the component required for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol.
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