New GMD, Mele Kyari Vows to Tackle Corruption in NNPC

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Tuesday, July 9th, 2019

By Rotimi Fadeyi

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The new Group Managing Director (GMD) of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari has said that he would tackle corruption with the automation of systems and processes.

Speaking on Tuesday after visiting President Muhammadu Buhari with his predecessor in office, Maikanti Baru, the new NNPC boss explained that discretion would be reduced to the barest minimum at the corporation.

According to him, there won’t be corruption where there is no discretion, stressing that NNPC would work with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other institutions that are involved in controlling and contending any form of corruption in the system.

Kyari said, “we are going to work with EFCC and other institutions that are involved in controlling and contending any form of corruption in our system. This is in line with Mr.President’s cardinal principle to contain with corruption so that this country can benefits from its resources.

“There will be no corruption where there is no discretion. So we will automate our systems and processes so that discretion is reduced to the barest minimum”, he added.

Kyari disclosed that he was part of the team that has been working assiduously with the former Group Managing Director, stressing that he was aware of the gravity of the assignment given to him.

According to him, he was also aware of the trust associated with his work as well as the high expectations of the President to make the corporation a global company of excellence and to deliver to the citizenry the benefits of the oil and gas industry.

“We are focussed in ensuring that we deliver this in the shortest possible time and in the most efficient way. I assure all of us that we will do this work with integrity.

“I will ensure that by 2023, Mr.President will look back and confirm that he has not misplaced his trust first in Dr. Baru and transferring it to us is a testament of the confidence Mr. President has for the corporation. We will make sure at the end of the day that the corporation becomes an integrator of the economy”, he added.

Speaking earlier, Baru said he expected the new management of NNPC to more than double what himself and his team have done.

Baru further said, “I am not setting a high target for them but I know this team are the jet factor fellows, that will zoom up, dive, come back and steady the corporation and make sure it becomes definitely the largest in Africa and make serious contribution to Nigeria’s economy.

“We expect where we have stabilize the supply of fuel to the economy, they will make sure they start exporting products to neighbouring countries. I am so convinced that this team will deliver.

“The purpose of coming to see Mr. President is to carry out a symbolic handover of the new team led by Mallam Malee Kyari to Mr. President.

“No matter what we did in terms of transition, they have their own programmes and vision of what they want to do. We are now the airbus pilots that are relaxing and cruising at an altitude and you cannot give them a vision of the jet fighter pilot that the NNPC requires. They will engage Mr. President at the appropriate time and get his blessing. I spent 1,099 days on the saddle of the corporation and can’t wait to present young vibrant team, he added

On scarcity of kerosene, Baru stated that the product was now available, stressing that when he took over as NNPC boss, there was so much difference between the the price NNPC was selling kerosene and the price it was made available to consumers

“Fuel at depots when we came on board was N76 per liter but it was settling between N250-N300, so the common man was not getting the kerosene. So all what the government and NNPC was doing was bleeding and we resolved to make it available. That was why we invited the private sector to come in, so NNPC stepped back and they were selling at N210, what we did was allow the market forces to determine the price”, Baru said.