Wednesday, November 6, 2024 -The Nigerian National Petroleum Company
(NNPC) Limited has denied allegations that it imports adulterated premium motor
spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, following protests at its Abuja
headquarters.
Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, addressed the
accusations on Tuesday, challenging critics to present evidence of any
substandard fuel imported by NNPC
This response comes after civil society organizations demonstrated
outside NNPC’s offices, calling for the removal of Mele Kyari, NNPC’s Group
Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), in protest against recent petrol price hikes.
Soneye insisted that the company adheres to strict quality standards, stating,
“The NNPC Ltd. does not import adulterated fuel. If anyone has evidence to the
contrary, they should bring forward samples of any such fuel imported by NNPC
Ltd.”
The protest follows a recent claim by Dangote Petroleum Refinery that
any oil marketer selling petrol at a price lower than that of Dangote’s
refinery is likely distributing substandard fuel. This claim arose after some
marketers suggested Dangote’s petrol prices were higher than imported
alternatives.
Responding to accusations that Kyari is to blame for the recent spike in
petrol prices, Soneye clarified that price adjustments are beyond the CEO’s
control, noting that, “If they were informed, they would know that the GCEO is
not responsible for the fuel price increase.” He also emphasized that, under
Kyari’s leadership, NNPC maintained a price of N620 per litre for over a year,
despite a higher landing cost of above N1,100.
Petrol prices have surged significantly, with NNPC raising rates from
N855 per litre in September to N998 in October, and further increasing prices
on October 28 to N1,025 in Lagos and N1,050 in Abuja. Despite public outcry,
NNPC has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing President Bola Tinubu’s roadmap
for national energy security.
Soneye concluded by stating that the company remains focused on key projects to secure Nigeria’s energy future, undeterred by ongoing protests.
0 Comments