Group lauds Kyari for tackling oil theft, says performance will encourage others

A group under the umbrella of Pan Nigeria Professionals (PNP) has commended Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) for tackling oil theft in the Niger Delta region, implementing the National Gas Expansion project, AKK pipeline project and instilling transparency in the corporation.

While describing the conferment of the National Award on Kyari as well deserved, PNP said such a gesture will no doubt encourage all persons holding public office and leaders that outstanding performance would be rewarded.

It will be recalled that Kyari was decorated with the award for the category of Officer of the Federal Republic(OFR) alongside 447 Nigerians and friends of the country at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.

In a statement signed by the PNP Chairman, Dr. Yusuf Ahmadu Danbatta, he said the increase in the national crude oil reserves to achieve the 40,000 billion barrel target through focus and commitment; efforts to revive refineries and decided to collaborate with relevant security agencies to clamp saboteurs are enough reasons for awarding Kyari.

While explaining reasons it singled out Mele Kyari for commendation, the group stated, “we are particularly impressed that for the first time in the history of NNPC, the company declared profit, which Kyari achieved through the area of financial transparency via the audited financial statements of the NNPC LTD.

“The decision to make public the Corporation’s Monthly Financial & Operations Reports (MFOR) in line with his Transparency Accountability and Performance Excellence(TAPE) vision placed NNPC as the only national oil company that publishes its financial and operations reports monthly globally.

“We decided to also identify with Kyari on this occasion for making frantic efforts to tackle the problem scarcity via importation of huge quantity of petrol that bridged the supply gap created with normalcy returning and incessant scarcity disappeared.

“His efforts to fight oil theft has yielded results as disclosed during the Senate’s joint committees on Petroleum (Upstream and Downstream) and Gas, that “within six weeks, 395 illegal refineries have been deactivated, 274 reservoirs destroyed, 1,561 metal tanks destroyed, 49 trucks seized and a 4-kilometers illegal oil connection line from Forcados Terminal into the sea – which had been in operation undetected for nine years – detected.”

“As professionals, we appreciated that against all odds, he was able to champion reforms in the upstream sector, sustaining oil output, boosting its subsidiary, implementing the National Gas Expansion project, AKK pipeline project, NLNG Train 7 FID, facilitating power projects, efficient crude oil lifting contract and ultimately instilling transparency in the corporation.”

The group equally commended the President for recognizing Nigerians who have worked hard to put the country back on the lane of progress and development.