- Pix above: Mele Kyari, GCEO, NNPCL
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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged Mallam Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer , Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to “promptly publish details of barrels of oil Nigeria produces and exports every day”.
The organisation also urged the NNPCL GCEO to make public the “total amounts of revenues generated from oil since the removal of subsidy on petrol in May 2023”.
SERAP on Sunday urged him “to disclose how much of the revenues generated from oil have been remitted to the public treasury since the removal of subsidy on petrol.”
The group also urged him “to disclose details of payment of N11 trillion as subsidy, and to clarify allegations that the NNPCL has failed to remit revenues generated from oil to the public treasury since the removal of subsidy on petrol.”
Last week, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, alleged that “the NNPCL is failing to remit enough foreign exchange into the treasury despite the removal of fuel subsidy,” asking: “Where is the money?”
In the letter dated 9 December 2023 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “There is a legitimate public interest in disclosing the information sought.
“Opacity in the amounts of barrels of oil the country produces and exports daily, the revenues generated and remitted to the public treasury would have negative impacts on the fundamental interests of the citizens and the public interest.
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel the NNPCL to comply with our requests in the public interest,” it said.
It further said: “SERAP is seriously concerned that years of allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the oil sector and entrenched impunity of perpetrators have undermined public trust and confidence in the NNPCL.
“Ensuring transparency and accountability in the operations of the NNPCL would improve the enjoyment by Nigerians of their right to natural wealth and resources.
“SERAP is concerned that despite the country’s enormous oil wealth, ordinary Nigerians have derived very little benefit from oil money primarily because of widespread grand corruption, and the culture of impunity of perpetrators.
“Combating the corruption epidemic in the oil sector would alleviate poverty, improve access of Nigerians to basic public goods and services, and enhance the ability of the government to meet its human rights and anti-corruption obligations.
“SERAP notes that Section 15(5) of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) requires public institutions and officials to abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power.
“The NNPCL has also reportedly failed to publish details of revenues generated from the production and exportation of oil and the amounts of revenues remitted to the public treasury as required by Nigerian laws.
“According to the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, ‘It is only the NNPCL that can give the figures about how much oil we produce daily, how much we sell, and where the money is going. We are no longer paying subsidies so where are the dollars? Where is the money?'” it added./PLEASE SHARE
- Tag: SERAP, Mele Kyari, NNPCL
