•As CSOs, religious groups demand probe of NNPC

By Omeiza Ajayi

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, has cautioned the federal government against demarketing local industries.

This came on a day civil society and religious groups demanded a probe into activities of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited NNPCL, following allegations by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, that some officials of the company operate a blending plant in Malta, from where they import low quality fuel into the country.

MAN also called for caution from major actors, government agencies, and regulators in the oil and gas sector of the economy regarding the federal government-Dangote Refinery saga.

MAN’s Director-General, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, who gave the warning, said government agencies providing regulatory oversight functions should promote an enabling business environment for local investments to thrive.

He said no regulatory agency should cast a shadow over a homegrown investment, such as Dangote Refinery.

According to him, the allegations of poor quality, and monopolistic tendencies levelled against Dangote Refinery by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, were unsubstantiated.

Ajayi-Kadir stressed that local investors in Nigeria, particularly the Dangote Industries Limited, DIL, play a vital role in driving economic growth, paying taxes, creating jobs and fostering development within the country.

” As such, these investors must be protected and given the necessary support to thrive in this business environment,” Ajayi-Kadir said.

He said a business colossus as Alhaji Aliko Dangote, with investments in diverse sectors of the economy and across the continent, should be accorded all needed support to grow and invest in more sectors and positively impact the well-being of the people.”

CSOs, religious groups demand probe of NNPC, want GMD sacked

Meanwhile, civil society and religious groups yesterday demanded a probe into activities of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, following allegations Aliko Dangote made against some officials of the company.

Dangote had alleged that some officials of the company operate a blending plant in Malta, from where they import low quality fuel into the country.

The groups, which also demanded the sack of the NNPCL Group Managing Director GMD, Mele Kyari, said they would stage a two-day march on the National Assembly and the NNPCL headquarters but failed to state when.

Some of the groups involved include Civil Society Network on Economic and Social Advancement CSNOESA, Arewa Transformational Leaders ATL, Afenifere Intelligence AI, Nzuko Ohanaeze Ndigbo NONI as well as Christians and Muslims Leaders of Nigeria CAMLON.

At a joint briefing in Abuja yesterday, the groups said the persistent fuel scarcity that had plagued the country for the two years of Mele Kyari’s reign was a clear indication of the lack of transparency within the NNPCL.

“Despite Nigeria’s status as a major oil-producing nation, our citizens have been forced to endure long queues at filling stations, often paying as high as N1,000 for a litre of petrol, a product that should be readily available and affordable”, the groups said in the joint address signed by Alhaji Abubakar Mohammed, Nze Uche Okonkwo, Alhaji Ibrahim Bagudu, Chief Oluwole Akande, Bishop Ejeh Adakoyi and Dr Segun Okeowo.

The statement read:  “We are deeply disturbed by the recent report from Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the renowned Nigerian businessman and Africa’s richest man, which revealed that the NNPCL had invested only 7.2 per cent in the Dangote Refinery project. This is in stark contrast to the public statement made by the NNPCL, which claimed a 20 per cent stake. in the refinery.

“We express grave concerns over the recent allegations made by Aliko Dangote, chairman of Dangote Industries Limited, against personnel of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company NNPC Limited.

Dangote has accused NNPC officials, oil traders, and terminal operators of opening a blending plant in Malta, undermining the Nigerian economy.”