Fakoyejo Olalekan
The Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari, has claimed that his life is under threat.
Kyari said some persons are threatening his life due to the reform of the NNPC Limited. He said certain people are against the ongoing changes.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelHe made this known to the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption in Abuja on Wednesday, November 9.
The House of Representatives’ Committee had organised a summit, ‘Legislative Transparency and Accountability’, and during the event, Kyari shared the progress of the NNPC reform.
Kyari said activities of illegal refineries had reduced the daily crude oil production by 700,000 barrels, but the NNPC has been able to shutdown some of the illegal refiners.
“Without mincing words, I want to say that this industry is on a threshold of change, there is massive change going on and it is very expensive and of a personal cost to many people including myself.
“There is a threat to life, I can say this, I have several death threats but we are not bothered about this, we believe that no one dies unless it is his time.
“But this is the cost of change. When people move away from what they are used to and are faced with something new that will take away value and benefit from them, they will react. That reaction is beneficial to all of us and we will work together to make sure it works out,” Kyari told the committee.
His revelation comes amid disagreement between NNPC and Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State over the revenue contribution to the federation account.
Prime Business Africa had reported that El-Rufai criticised NNPC Limited for failing to meet its revenue contribution needed by the Federal, States and Local Governments.
“This year, NNPC has not brought N20,000 to the federation account. We are living on taxes. It is PPTs, royalties, income tax and VAT that is keeping this country going because NNPC claims that subsidy has taken all the oil revenues. I don’t believe it,” El-Rufai said.
He also stated that some governors are unable to fulfil their social contracts with residents of their states, such as payment of salaries to workers, due to NNPC not remitting into the federal account.
It was learnt that the federal and state governments are now surviving on revenues and taxes generated by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).
