By Mary Onyia
The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, has denied owning a blending plant in Malta and is not aware of any of his colleagues that do.
Kyari made this statement in his social media handle recently, following allegation by the president of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, that NNPCL cabals own and operate a blending plant in Malta from where the import ‘inferior’ fuel into the country.
Mele Kyari, challenged Aliko Dangote, to reveal the identities of NNPC workers accused of establishing a blending plant in Malta.
In a statement he issued via his social media platforms, Kyari maintained that he does not own a blending plant in Malta nor did he know any of his colleagues doing so.
Sequel to the conflict between the billionaire businessman, Aliko Dangote and the NNPCL over the latters’ failure to meet with its obligation to the Dangote Refinery in the area of crude oil supply, Dangote had in his public speeches accused some people in the NNPCL cabals of importing fake petrol products into the country.
Dangote had said the NNPC cabals created a petroleum refinery in Malta from where they import inferior fuel into Nigeria.
Responding, Kyari said, “I am inundated by enquiries from family members, friends and associates on the public declaration by the President of Dangote Group that some NNPC workers have established a blending plant in Malta thereby impeding procurements from local production of Petroleum products.
“To clarify the allegations regarding blending plant, I do not own or operate any business directly or by proxy anywhere in the world with the exception of a local mini Agric venture. Neither am I aware of any employee of the NNPC, that owns or operates a blending plant in Malta or anywhere else in the world.
“A blending plant in Malta or any part of the world has no influence over NNPC’s business operations and strategic actions.
“For further assurance, our compliance sanction grid shall apply to any NNPC employee who is established to be involved in doing so if availed and I strongly recommend that such individuals be declared public and be made known to relevant government security agencies for necessary actions in view of the grave implications for national energy security.”