By Tochukwu Bliss, Abuja
Former Group Managing Directors (GMDs) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), have expressed their unwavering support for the current leadership and their commendable efforts in advancing the company’s strategic objectives across key sectors.
The former chief executives expressed their support in a communique issued at the end of a CEO Forum hosted by NNPC on Saturday.
The Forum, according to the communique, provided insights into NNPC’s transition post-PIA, the challenges and opportunities therefrom.
The CEOs said their support stemmed from their satisfaction with “the significant progress made in” in several areas, including:
- Increasing crude oil and gas production
- Funding of upstream operations and investments
- Gas supply and infrastructure development for domestic and export including CNG and LPG delivery
- Refineries rehabilitation progress
- Reduction in carbon emissions and commercialisation of Nigeria’s vast gas resources
According to them, “We obtained insights into NNPC’s business activities in the context of global energy industry dynamics, strategic aspirations and operational updates.
“In particular, oil and gas production growth plan, gas infrastructure project delivery plan, progress on refinery rehabilitation and issues related to petroleum product supply and energy security were discussed.”
Against this backdrop, the CEOs “commended Mele Kyari as the first Group CEO to implement the PIA, and noted with satisfaction the progress made with hope that its limitations will be addressed over time.”
We expressed our satisfaction in the achievements recorded and encouraged the management team to continue advancing strategies to improve operations, grow portfolio, and manage talent.
The communique reads further: “We expressed our satisfaction in the achievements recorded and encouraged the management team to continue advancing strategies to improve operations, grow portfolio, and manage talent.
“We note with satisfaction the continuation of the policy on recruitment which takes into consideration the principles of diversity and inclusion as well as performance-based career progression via a transparent process.
“We also noted that limited information is in the public domain on NNPC’s operations since transition to a private commercial entity. This has led to misleading commentary which we believe is not in tandem with the strides achieved by the company.
“We empathise with the management team over the state of onshore operations with over seven thousand illegal refineries destroyed and over five thousand illegal connections removed.
“We reiterate that any attack on crude oil and gas facilities as well as illegal refining are acts of criminality and economic sabotage. Therefore, all activities hindering oil and gas exploration and production in Nigeria must be sanctioned.
“We appreciate that the PIA has made provisions for the Host communities’ development and also provided for sustainable funding.
“We trust that Government Security Agencies will do the needful and ensure that crude oil theft, illegal refining and activities of pipeline vandals are stopped to allow for investment and growth of Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.”
The communique was signed by Dr Jackson Gaius-Obaseki, along with Chamberlain Oyibo; Funsho Kupolokun; Abubakar Lawal Yar’adua; and Austen Oniwon; Andrew Yakubu, while a former Group Executive Director Exploration and Production, Abiye Membere, was the Resource Person.
The CEO Forum also appreciated the support that all tiers of Government and the Nigerian citizens continue to give NNPC and expressed the hope that this will be sustained by the President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
