Fuel scarcity: Sack Kyari now, coalition demands

• NNPCL boss should resign, APC youth group
• Falana urges probe into company’s finances over $6.8b debt

Coalition of Concerned Civil Society Organisations of Nigeria has called for the sack of the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, for his inability to handle the fuel situation in the country.

While the All Progressives Congress (APC) Youth Solidarity Network urges Kyari to resign, human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, called for an investigation into the petrol subsidy claim and importation of the product.

Following reports of a $6.8 billion subsidy debt by NNPCL, which it admitted on Sunday, they demanded a thorough probe into the financial dealings of the company and the resignation of Kyari.

During a peaceful protest that the coalition staged in Abuja Unity Fountain, yesterday, over problems associated with the supply of petrol, the Convener, Aminu Abbas, blamed Kyari, for the petrol scarcity.

The group wondered why Nigeria, so richly blessed with oil, would continue to suffer from acute scarcity of petrol required by motorists, businesses and households daily.

Some of the inscriptions on the protesters’ placards read: “We are tired of hearing stories about our refineries”, “No direction, Kyari is just drifting with the wind”, “Probe Kyari for under-remittance of oil proceeds” and “We want accountability in the affairs of NNPCL”.

Decrying the state of the refineries, the coalition alleged importation of adulterated petroleum products and sabotage of local refineries, claiming that under Kyari’s leadership, the situation “has gone from bad to worse”, with no end in sight.

The protesters lamented: “Why do we, the people, have to endure endless queues, inflated prices and the daily uncertainty of whether we can fuel our vehicles or power our homes? The answer lies in the gross incompetence and mismanagement that have become the hallmark of Kyari’s leadership. What has he done to alleviate this crisis? Where are the solutions? Why are our refineries, which should be the backbone of our fuel supply, still in disrepair?

“Kyari has failed to take the necessary steps to resolve these issues. Instead, he seems intent on maintaining a status quo that benefits only a select few while the masses suffer.”

Consequently, it demanded the immediate removal of Kyari as the GMD of NNPCL to restore sanity in the oil sector of the economy. It added: “To President Bola Tinubu and all those in positions of power, we say, the time to act is now. Show us that the Renewed Hope Agenda is not just empty rhetoric. Show us that you stand with the people, not with those who profit from our misery. Kyari must be shown the way out, and the NNPCL must be reformed to serve the interests of all Nigerians.”

Expressing concern over the alleged mismanagement of funds and lack of transparency in NNPCL’s financial operations, the youths called for the resignation of Kyari, over the company’s admission of owing $6.8 billion.

Speaking at a briefing in Abuja, yesterday, President of the group, Olalekan Isaac, described Kyari’s tenure as one full of leadership ‘failure. The Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye, confirmed that the debt was the reason for the queues in filling stations across the country.

Isaac, however, expressed dismay over NNPCL’s initial denial of owing, only to later admit to the staggering amount. He questioned the governance style of Kyari, citing a lack of transparency, accountability and fiscal prudence.

“We, the APC Youth Solidarity Network, resolutely maintain that the time has arrived for Kyari to assume full responsibility for this leadership failure. It is time he relinquished his position to spare our nation further international embarrassment and ridicule.

“Regrettably, Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil exporter, finds itself in the incongruous position of importing virtually all its fuel requirements. This anomaly is obviously a direct consequence of years of systemic neglect and mismanagement of our state-owned refineries,” he said.

FALANA, speaking on what he described as an “importation scam” on Channels Television, said there must be a comprehensive investigation by independent bodies into the operations of NNPCL.

According to him, the National Assembly has shown that it cannot be trusted to diligently and dispassionately investigate the activities of the NNPCL. “It is high time the importation scam was investigated. I am not talking about the joke going on in the National Assembly. The media and civil society organisations must help to expose the fraud.” he said.

The lawyer said the government was not being honest on petrol subsidy, noting that the NNPCL statement on fuel supply sustainability called for concern. He said: “Once the government begins to speak about affordability and sustainability in response to growing queues at filling stations, there are problems,” Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) stated. “There is no full disclosure on the part of the government on subsidy on petrol.

“Nigeria can’t spend $2.9 billion to fix the refineries yet the dates for the resumption of production at the refineries have been constantly being shifted.” The SAN threatened to sue those responsible for the fixing of state-owned refineries, if another postponement is announced.