Ike Amos
Abuja — The new Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr. Mele Kyari, Monday, vowed to repair the country’s four refineries before the end of President Muhammadu Buhari administration in 2023.
He also pledged support and readiness to work towards the delivery of the Dangote Refinery by the first quarter of next year. He added that he was going to ensure that the country achieves its production target of three million barrels per day and also grow its reserve to 40 million barrel.
The NNPC chief said that “It is the intention of NNPC to support the industry to make sure we achieve a production level of three million barrels per day and grow our reserves to at least 40 million barrels. We will achieve this and it is possible. I have already set the time for it. We will do it before 2023.”
He spoke at the amphitheater of the NNPC in Abuja, where his predecessor, Dr. Maikanti Baru handed over to him.
He said, “There is a legitimate expectation from Nigerians that why can we be an oil producing country with four refineries and yet importing sometime 100 percent of our requirement.
“I will follow it up to make sure that before the life of this administration expires, before Baba’s (President Muhammadu) tenure ends in 2023, we will deliver on the four refineries.”
Kyari revealed that the NNPC would encourage private sector participation in revamping the refineries, stressing that the Dangote Refinery could be a game changer for the nation.
“We support the Dangote Refinery to make sure they come on stream within the shortest time. I cannot say for them but the last information we had was that they will come on stream in the first quarter of 2020. We will support them with everything possible to make sure it comes on stream”
The new NNPC chief said that with the modular refineries coming on board, Nigeria would become a net exporter of petroleum products at the exit of President Buhari.
He said already people could now buy products without going to NNPC but what was left was to take it from the gate into the tank. “At the end of it, you will sit on your bed, buy petroleum product and deliver it to your filling station.”
The new NNPC chief, who identified the battle against corruption as his target, vowed that “there will be no corruption where there is no discretion. We are going to work with the EFCC to take out corruption from our system. Leadership is about trust, I also know that there is eternal accountability we respond to. We will not make deliberate mistakes.”
Continuing, he said that he would do his job with integrity without allowing his personal interest to betray him. He predicated his decision to be upright in his duty on the fact that he would one day give an account of his stewardship in the corporation to God.
Kyari submitted that “I will stand before my creator and say I have done well.”
According to him, the corporation would henceforth become accountable to the citizens.
He said “it is a promise that we are going to be accountable to the citizens. The citizens will have access to what we are doing.”
But putting a caveat, he said that unless on commercial value ground, “we will disclose every data. But we will discuss every data at the appointed time.”
Warning his children, Kyari asked not to accept any gift from anyone on his behalf.
He noted that, “From today, if you accept a gift from anyone, it is not for me, don’t give gifts to members of my family. It is not for me.
He said he never prayed for the new position, stressing that the opportunity could only come from God.
The NNPC boss said that there are other personnel with better grades and 40 Ph.D. holders in the corporate that are also qualified for his seat, but providence only saddled him with the responsibility.
According to him, at a point in his service his predecessor, Dr. Maikanti Baru was simply signing his requests without reading them having earned his trust.
He said that he has no illusion that the journey ahead of him would be easy.
Also speaking, Baru tasked the new GMD on the implementation of the PSC Dispute Settlement Agreements and emplace the Gas Terms.
Baru asked him to focus on exploration to grow reserves in the Niger Delta, Frontier Basins and Deep Offshore.
He was tasked on the completion of the cash call repayment and cash call exit program.