ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
A peace advocacy group, the Niger Delta Advocate for Peace and Good Governance (NDAPGG) has commenced the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari, and the Executive Director (Upstream Operations), NNPC, Adokiye Tombomieye, for their prompt intervention in stopping the circulation of adulterated fuel across the country.
The group, comprising former agitators and stakeholders from oil producing communities in the region, said despite the plot by some unscrupulous elements to throw the country into disarray, Kyari and Tombomieye saved the corporate image of the NNPC and halted the nefarious activities of the “wicked merchants”.
The group in a statement on Thursday by the National Coordinator, ‘General’ Fiawei Pathfinder, said the two professionals earned the group’s commendation for saving the Nigerian government from national and global embarrassment.
Pathfinder said after a critical assessment of the situation, the group deemed it necessary to commend Kyari and Tombomieye for bringing their expertise to bear on professionally resolving the bad fuel saga and the attendant scarcity of petrol that followed the ugly development.
He said: “We, in the NDAPGG, have been keen on sustainable peace and stability in the Niger Delta region in order to attract development to the once volatile region so that the oil gas and industry will be much safer for investors to invest in the sector.
“We want to unequivocally state that Mele Kyari and Adokiye Tombomieye, should be appreciated for the prompt intervention to stop the adulterated fuel circulation and tackle the long queues nationwide.
“We hail the wealth of experience they brought to the fore to resolve the supply gap created by the unexpected importation of methanol-blended petrol into Nigeria that nearly threw the country into turmoil due to unavailability of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at most filling stations and petroleum depots.
“It is also worthy of note the proactive measures put in place by the NNPC management by keeping to the promise of delivering over 700 million litres of PMS to address the supply and distribution gaps.
“And one more thing that made us to really commend their efforts was the prompt alert sent out to Nigerians about the supply and distribution of bad fuel and the warning that it should not be sold to the end-users nationwide.
“They never rested but put in more efforts to ensure proper measures and steps to recall the bad petrol that had caused panic to Nigerians. Apart from fulfilling their promised 700 million litres injection, they also supplied additional 2.1 billion litres to address the shortfall.”
Pathfinder pledged the group’s full support for Kyari and Adokiye to enable them to continue their good work as they serve Nigerians and take the nation oil and gas sector to global recognition and competitiveness without compromise.
He warned those they described as nefarious, criminally minded and corrupt elements sponsored by some mischief makers bent on fabricating false allegations and cheap blackmail to drag their names in the mire to desist forthwith.
He cautioned that if they failed to stop their campaign of calumny, the group would be left with no other option but to declare them as enemies of President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government and the peace in the Niger Delta region.