Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC Ltd), has said that he is receiving death threats for the ongoing reformation of the company.
Kyari stated this on Wednesday at the Legislative Transparency and Accountability summit organised in Abuja by the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption titled ‘Enhancing Transparency and Accountability in the Oil and Gas Sector: Challenges and Prospects.’
The NNPC GMD said that since the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), there were changes ongoing that are affecting the old arrangement.
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He revealed that due to the activities and effects of the illegal refineries, daily crude oil production had reduced by 700,000 barrels.
According to him, the company had closed several illegal oil refineries affecting the volume of oil production in the country.
He said:
“Without mincing words, I want to say that this industry is in a threshold of change, there is massive change going on and it is very expensive and of 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 something new that will take away value and benefit from them, they will react.
“That reaction is benefits to all of us and we will work together to make sure it works out.”
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep Femi Gbajabiamila, while stating the importance of the oil and gas sector, he said the industry has played a critical role in the economy of Nigeria over six decades.
Gbajabiamila said that the industry has provided millions of jobs, directly and indirectly, adding that income from the oil and gas sector has funded the administration of government to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars over the years.
He said:
“We are living in a world made possible by income from oil and gas and the fossil fuel industry.”
However, he said the world is changing towards a future where the economic value of oil and gas is far diminished compared to its previous stand.
Gbajabiamila said:
“Amid this evolving paradigm, the oil and gas industry still faces unique challenges here at home. Due to theft and various acts of economic sabotage, we are experiencing a massive decline in crude oil production and export volume.
“Our country is the victim of bad actors determined to achieve great personal wealth at our collective expense.
“At a time of severe financial constraints, the perpetrators of this brazen heist threaten our ability to meet the demands of governance and nation-building.
“Their actions effectively amount to treason against our country, for which they must be held accountable.”
