By Doris Isreal Ijeoma
The group chief executive of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC), Mele Kyari, has denied claims that he owns an oil blending plant in Malta.
Kyari made this statement on Tuesday in response to allegations made by Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest person.
Dangote had claimed that some NNPC officials own and operate an oil facility in Malta, a small island country in the Mediterranean Sea.
He said, “I am inundated by enquiries from family members, friends and associates on the public declaration by the President of Dangote Group that some NNPC workers have established a blending plant in Malta thereby impeding procurements from local production of Petroleum products.
“To clarify the allegations regarding blending plant, I do not own or operate any business directly or by proxy anywhere in the world with the exception of a local mini Agric venture. Neither am I aware of any employee of the NNPC, that owns or operates a blending plant in Malta or anywhere else in the world.
“A blending plant in Malta or any part of the world has no influence over NNPC’s business operations and strategic actions.
“For further assurance, our compliance sanction grid shall apply to any NNPC employee who is established to be involved in doing so if availed and I strongly recommend that such individuals be declared public and be made known to relevant government security agencies for necessary actions in view of the grave implications for national energy security.”
