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Tag: Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation

  • IPMAN lauds NNPC for pumping petrol into Ejigbo Depot

    IPMAN lauds NNPC for pumping petrol into Ejigbo Depot

    The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria ( IPMAN ), Ejigbo Depot, has lauded the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for pumping petrol into the depot.

    Alhaji Ayo Alanamu, the Chairman of Ejigbo Depot, made the commendation in an interview in Lagos on Thursday.

    Alanamu said that NNPC resumed pumping of petroleum products, especially petrol, to the depot on Wednesday to ease fuel scarcity in South-West.

    According to him, loading of petrol by tankers started at the depot on Thursday.

    “I strongly believe that before weekend, queues will vanish.

    “Marketers within Lagos metropolis are being given priority attention while NNPC has increased loading capacity of trucks,’’ he said.

    According to Alanamu, the aim of pumping petroleum products to the depot is to reduce the difficulty marketers go through while taking the products at the Apapa private depot.

    “Now that pumping has resumed in Ejigbo Depot, the number of trucks waiting to take load in Apapa will reduce drastically; it will also reduce the chaotic traffic situation there,’’ he said.

    According to a correspondent, who visited the depot, reports that tankers were taking petroleum products out of the depot.

    However, petrol scarcity within the Lagos metropolis remains the same as many filling stations are without the product.

    NAN

  • NNPC to establish 4,600MW plants in FCT, two others

    NNPC to establish 4,600MW plants in FCT, two others

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC ) says it will establish 4,600 power plants in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano.

    A statement in Abuja by the NNPC spokesman, Mr Ndu Ughamadu, said this would be done through the recently-approved contract for the construction of Ajaokuta-Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Gas Pipeline project, dubbed AKK Pipeline.

    According to the statement, the AKK pipeline has started yielding early benefits with the commitment by NNPC to build power-generating plants with combined capacity of 4550 megawatts in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano States.

    Ughamadu quoted the NNPC Group Managing Director, Dr Maikanti Baru, as saying that the Corporation in partnership with private investors would build power-generating plants to support Federal Government’s effort to providing stable electricity in the country.

    “As part of the drive to establish power plants to augment the power supply to the nation, the Federal Executive Council has recently approved the AKK Gas Pipeline project to be financed through Public Private Partnership (PPP).

    Read also: NNPC release 300 trucks of petrol daily to Lagos, 170 to FCT

    “The project comes with other auxiliary ones which include, 1,350 megawatts, 900 megawatts and 2,350 megawatts of power generation plants in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano respectively,” the statement quotes Baru.

    It said the NNPC in partnership with private investors would also build fertilizer plants in some parts of the country, one of which would be located at Izzon, Niger State.

    The statement said in line with the presidential mandate on oil exploration in all the frontier basins, the NNPC was well-focused on the exploration in the Bida Basin.

    “We have contracted the geological mapping of the Bida Basin to Ibrahim Babangida University, Lapai and the job would be completed in three months,” it stated.

    Ughamadu said the corporation would go into more detailed seismic data acquisition in the Bida Basin by August 2018, to be followed by an Environmental Impact Assessment exercise.

    He said as part of the corporation’s effort to decongest the highways, the NNPC would encourage private investors to build tanker parking facilities around Minna Depot, Suleja Depot, Tegina, Mokwa, amongst others and charge the users of the facility appropriately.

    The statement said talks were ongoing with the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing to re-introduce weight bridges on the highways to checkmate the issue of excessive loading by tankers above the recommended 46, 000ton gross weight.

    “The NNPC on its part has already directed all its depots nationwide to stop loading tankers with loading capacity above 40, 000litres,” he said.

    NAN

  • Supply shortfall cause of fuel scarcity – Kachikwu

    Supply shortfall cause of fuel scarcity – Kachikwu

    Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, says the major cause of the fuel scarcity currently being witnessed across the country is shortfall in supply of petroleum products.

    Kachikwu, who stated this in a news briefing on Thursday in Abuja, however, said that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC ) was making efforts to ensure that queues at filling stations disappeared in a couple of days.

    “Presently, queues in Lagos have reduced. We know that Lagos, Abuja, Benue, Port Harcourt were among the worst-hit areas.

    “Benue has been dealt with; Port Harcourt is quite moderated. Apart from these areas, other places in the country are probably liquid.

    “The major problem is the gap in terms of volume, because NNPC is the only one importing the product to the country,” he said.

    The minister assured that there was adequate storage facility for imported products, adding that emergency measures were in place to ensure that the products were available during the Yuletide and post-January.

    He said that four vessels laden with petroleum products would “berth in a few days and a total of 20 cargoes are also expected with petroleum products’’.

    Kachikwu said that the NNPC had, as at Wednesday, discharged products at its depots, adding that emergency supply, quick truck delivery and stricter monitoring were measures adopted to ensure that queues disappeared.

    He added that NNPC would use additional trucking to major cities using strategic reserves from Suleja, Minna, Gusau and Gombe.

    This, he said, would help to service Abuja, Kano and Sokoto axis to feed the North-West, North-East.

    “I have asked the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency to ensure stricter sanctions on any station that refuses to abide by the rules.

    “They need to take a firm action to ensure that we get quick results,’’ he said.

    Kachikwu further assured that the market would be flooded with more products to cushion effects of over-subscription through Kaduna refinery production, adding that Port Harcourt was expected to start producing 2.1 million litres of petrol per day.

    He said that it was expected that with the adopted strategies, the queues would “slide down’’ in one week.

    On long-term strategy, he said that ultimate result would come when the refineries resumed optimal production.

    The minister said that work would commence effectively in the refineries in January.

    Executive Secretary of DPR, Mr Modecai Ladan, said that many sanctions awaited filling stations found compromising the dispensing process, warning that the stations would be shut down or charged N275 per litre.

    He said that any station found hoarding products would either be sealed or its product auctioned or dispensed free-of-charge to consumers.

    Ladan added that depending on the offence, defaulters may be shut down for six months or blacklisted.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a drive round Abuja metropolis and highways revealed that only a few filling stations were opened for operation, serving long queues.

    NAN

  • PENGASSAN backs NNPC on exploration in inland Basins

    PENGASSAN backs NNPC on exploration in inland Basins

    The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has commended the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on the exploratory activities it has been spearheading in inland basins.

    PENGASSAN National President, Comrade Francis Johnson, who led the Central Working Committee (CWC) of the union on a courtesy visit to the NNPC Group Managing Director, Dr Maikanti Baru in Abuja, said the yeoman job being undertaken by the NNPC with regards to the frontier basins would benefit the nation ultimately.

    Johnson, according to the NNPC statement that made this disclosure, said the union’s fervent prayer was for a breakthrough to be achieved in the Corporation’s exploratory efforts in the basins.

    The Management of NNPC under the leadership of Dr. Baru, has in recent time, embarked on aggressive exploratory operations in the nation’s frontier basins of the Chad Basin and Benue Trough in line with the aspiration of the Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to increase the reserves base of the country.

    Dr. Baru, since assumption of office last year, has drummed up support for the exploration activities with critical stakeholders in Bauchi, Borno, Sokoto and Nassarawa State.

    In Nassarawa State recently, he disclosed that NNPC’s Frontier Exploration Services (FES), a services company of the Corporation, had mobilized the Integrated Data Services Ltd (IDSL), (an Upstream arm of the NNPC) to acquire seismic data in the Benue Trough commencing from the Keana area.

    At the visit to the GMD, the PENGASSAN National President also commended the NNPC GMD for collaborating with other government agencies and critical stakeholders to bring about efficiency in the Petroleum Industry, adding that his efforts has also led to the improved products supply situation being enjoyed in the country.

    Comrade Johnson said the NNPC Management was capable of returning the refineries to profitability while expressing the union’s confidence in the Corporation’s effort in that regard.

    “PENGASSAN will support any effective, efficient and sustainable model that can make the refineries viable,’’ Comrade Johnson said.

    He also called on the GMD to intensify the ongoing rehabilitation of the downstream facilities, especially the depots, pipelines, tank farms and jetties to further ensure seamless supply of products across the country.

    On the Petroleum Industry Bill, the PENGASSAN President emphasized the need for its speedy passage, adding that the unions were ready to collaborate with the National Assembly to resolve knotty issues associated with it.

    Responding, Dr. Baru disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari had mandated him and the NNPC Management to bring back the refineries to their glorious days and thanked the unions for their belief in his capability to deliver on the president’s mandate.

    He said funding had been a major challenge in the rehabilitation of the refineries but was however optimistic that the various options being explored would yield positive results.

    The GMD expressed appreciation to the unions for their support in his effort to move the Petroleum Industry forward, while lauding their pragmatic approach to handling issues, saying this has helped to bring about industrial harmony.

    On his part, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Corporate Services, Alhaji Isah Inuwa, urged the unions to continue to work on the part of amity, while assuring them of NNPC management’s readiness to continue to collaborate with them in the overall interest of the Industry and the nation.

  • TSA: Reps may recover $401m unremitted revenues

    TSA: Reps may recover $401m unremitted revenues

    Over $401 million unpaid revenues is to be recovered by the Ad-hoc Committee set up by the House of Reps probing remittances from the Treasury Single Accounts (TSA).

    The committee headed by Hon. Abubakar Nuhu said it has set the machinery in motion to recover $50 million and $30 million offshore revenue accrued to Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) from UBA which dated back to 2005 and 2008 as well as interests accrued to the principal capital of $123,988.54 and $1.9 million.

    Revenue collected by Intel on behalf of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) worth $300 million since November 2016 was another aspect of the outstanding revenue.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the committee said, is to be invited over the sum of 6 million Euros NPA’s cargo tracking service seized and transferred to its account since 2015.

    Hadiza Bala Usman, NPA Managing Director who spoke on the crisis caused by the unremitted revenues collected by Intels for Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), said that Heritage Bank, is owing $21.3 million while First City Monument Bank is owing 6 million Euros.

    The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Accountant General of the Federation had intervened in the seized 6 million Euros fund she said.

    She added that the CBN, which offered to provide a guarantee for the fund, she said, is yet to effect the commitment despite many communication initiated by NPA over the past one year.

    According to her, the intervention became necessary to avoid the affected bank going distress, adding that the bank is also expected to pay interest accrued on the 6 million Euros.

    The recovery effort has been abortive despite the resolve of NPA to receive Naira equivalent of the 6 million Euros at CBN rate, the NPA boss said.

    The committee members, however, commended SystemSpecs for providing a credible platform for the Treasury Single Account (TSA) which has contributed to the successes records in blocking leakages and tackling corruption in the government-owned institutions

    John Obaro, Managing Director of SystemSpecs and ‘Deremi Atanda, SystemSpecs Executive Director while briefing the committee members on the Remita platform,  assured that the firm can easily reconcile all the accounts.

    The Remita platform has financial accounting functions and is accessible to relevant officials of MDAs whose names were nominated, they said, and the Auditor General has the responsibility of reviewing the accounts.

  • Delta state wins NNPC national quiz

    Delta state wins NNPC national quiz

    Delta state, on Tuesday, won the 2017 edition of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), national quiz competition.

    Preliminary stages of the competition were held in all the 774 local government areas and later moved to states and regional levels.

    At the final stage,  Mr. Isioma Nelson Ifeanyichukwu of Federal Government College, Warri, Delta state, defeated 17 other finalists representing 17 states of the federation.

    Details shortly…

  • How social media forced NNPC, NASS to cancel dinner

    How social media forced NNPC, NASS to cancel dinner

    Public opinion and criticism on Tuesday compelled the members of the National Assembly to turn down the invitation to a dinner that the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru had extended to them.

    The “special dinner”, which was scheduled to hold at 7.00pm in Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, was eventually cancelled.

    The invitation card which however went viral on the social media as from mid-day yesterday provoked negative reactions raising questions about the propriety of the NNPC boss who is under investigation concerning the memo that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari. 

    A source in the National Assembly who pleaded anonymity yesterday said that “the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Upstream) had to reject the invitation because of  the negative reactions it was generating in the social media.”

    Our Abuja correspondent, who went to confirm from the venue at 6:00pm met the Congress Hall locked and without sign of preparation for any dinner.

    The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, who confirmed the circulation of the invitation card, told The Nation that the aborted dinner was part of the ongoing stakeholders’ engagement that the corporation commenced since March this year.

    He noted that NNPC called off the dinner which coincided with Buhari’s the dinner for the National Assembly members .

    His words: “You know  we have been having stakeholders’ engagement since March. We invited you to Nicon Luxury, isn’t it ? We started in March with publishers in Abuja which was well attended. 

    “And it was to be followed by that of the National Assembly : House of Reps and Senate. And to be followed by correspondents in Abuja which was held in Nicon Luxury. But members of the National Assembly Petroleum Committee, both chambers said the were going on recess it wasn’t convenient for them. 

    “Which date was convenient, they said ok let’s put it in May. In May, GMD was bereaved, he lost three of his relatives. We moved it to Salah period, Salah period, they said they were going in recess. 

    “This time around, they chose October 31, (today). But unfortunately, the President will be engaging them to a dinner. So, they said they will be going to that of the President.   

    “So for somebody to wake to say it is for probe or no probe, only God knows that it would have been done since March.”

  • NNPC stocks N2b liters of petrol

    NNPC stocks N2b liters of petrol

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has a stock of over two billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, to ensure a hitch-free end-of-year movement of motorists, a period hitherto sometimes characterized by supply and demand disequilibrium.

    Speaking at the weekend after his investiture as Honourary Special Marshal by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, assured that adequate measures were in place to ensure that motorists have unimpeded access to fuel ahead of the forthcoming end-of-year festivities.

    Dr. Baru said the provision of adequate petroleum products would not only ease transportation but would also make our roads safer for motorists, just as other consumers too would have no need to hoard highly inflammable products in jerry cans, among others, which may pose as safety challenge to them.

    According to the corporation in a statement yesterday, Baru said that “As we speak, NNPC has over two billion litres of petrol and we want to sustain this level from now on till the end of the year and beyond. This volume would give the country product sufficiency of about 60 days, well above the standard 30 days sufficiency threshold.”

    Describing his investiture as an eloquent testament of the Corporation’s long-standing commitment to road safety and support for the FRSC, the GMD said NNPC would remain unwavering in its backing of the FRSC towards achieving its mandate of making our roads safer for motorists and other road users.

    In her remarks, Deputy Corps Marshal in charge of Operations, Ojeme Ewhrudjakpor, who presided over the ceremony, thanked the Corporation for its commitment to road safety.

    Ewhrudjakpor stated that road safety was the responsibility of everyone from motorists to regular road safety officers including special marshals, adding that all have a duty to ensure that the safety target which involves limiting the number of casualties on our road is achieved.

  • NNPC: Two MDs arraigned for alleged forgery of documents

    NNPC: Two MDs arraigned for alleged forgery of documents

    Justice Sedoten Ogunsanya of an Ikeja High Court has ordered the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pure Pack Oil Nigeria Limited, Mr  Epebinu Omoniyi in Kirikiri prison for allegedly forging Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) documents for sale of crude oil and defrauding a business partner of N3million. 

    His co-defendant, the  Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of First Hallmark Energy Limited Pure Pack Oil Nigeria Limited, Mr Adekanbi Adedayo was lucky as he was granted bail in the sum of N1million with two sureties in like sum for the same offense.

    The economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned the defendants on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretences and forgery.

    The defendants denied the charges.

     

    The prosecution led by Mr M.S Owede alleged that company directors committed the offences in 2014 in Lagos alongside Titus Adegoke and Demola Omisore who are both at large.

     

    According to him, the defendants on October  22, 2014, forged a document titled “Letter of Authority To Sell Bonny Light Crude Oil and To Represent the NNPC/Shell JV Operators Bonny Terminal” which was purportedly issued in favour of Pure Pack Oil Nigeria Limited dated October. 22, 2014 and issued by the NNPC.

     

    The charge stated further that the defendants on October 28, 2014, also forged a document titled “Re-confirmation of Allocation in Favour of Pure Pack Oil Nigeria Limited”  which was dated on October 28, 2014,  purporting it to have been issued by the NNPC.

     

    “On December 15, 2014, a document purported to be from the NNPC titled ‘Authority to Sell Cargo on Board MT Gloric’ alleged to be issued in favour of Pure Pack Oil Nigeria Ltd and Dafar Oil and Gas was forged by the defendants.

     

    Owede explained that the defendants allegedly defrauded Mr Ayo Falati their business partner through the presentation of the NNPC false documents for the sale of crude oil and fraudulently obtained N3million from him under false pretences on December 8, 2014.

     

    “They showed him the forged documents and falsely told him that they had secured a contract from the NNPC to supply crude oil from Nigeria to the United States of America.

     

    “The defendants told Falati that the N3million they received from him, represents 1 percent contract performance bond payment.”

     

    After the pleas of the defendants were taken, Owede requested that they should be remanded in prison.

     

    However, counsel to Omoniyi, Mr N.D Momoh requested for more time to file a bail application while Mr J. Opara, counsel to Adedayo urged the court to grant his client bail in the interest of justice.

     

    Justice Sedotan Ogunsanya granted Adedayo N1million bail with two sureties in like sum.

     

    The judge, however, remanded Omoniyi in the Kirikiri Prisons and adjourned the case to December 13 for trial.

  • NNPC: Buhari’s silence not helping matters – CSO

    NNPC: Buhari’s silence not helping matters – CSO

    The reaction of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Group Managing Director (GMD), Dr. Maikanti Baru to the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu memo to President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, attracted its own reaction.

    Speaking with The Nation on phone, Convener, Say no Campaign, Ezenwa Mwagwu, urged Buhari, who doubles as the substantive Minister of Petroleum Resources to make clarifications on the ranging war of words in the NNPC over award of contract, insubordination and sidelining of Kachikwu from the scheme of things.

    According to him, Buhari should confirm whether Baru presented the report to him and also awarded the contract within the threshold that the Federal Executive Council allowed.

    The member of the Civil Society Organization said that since the president promoted Kachikwu to become the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, the latter has become irrelevant in the oil and gas industry.

    Ezenwa noted that all the powers in the industry now reside with Buhari and Baru, while Kachikwu is only an onlooker.

    He said that “I think the intervening power of the substantive Minister of Petroleum Resources, (Buhari), who has the responsibility to clear the air on most of the issues.

    Stressing that the issues are about procurement, the activist noted that some critics may have veered of the point to conclude that money is missing.

    Ezemwa submitted that it may not necessarily mean that money is missing.

    He explained that “The issues are around procurement- who has the right to do what. The country is waiting for Buhari to intervene to put an end to the conversation.

    The people talking about money missing have already missed the point because it is about contract award and not necessarily money.”

    He said that: “The silence of the minister (Buhari) has not assisted in putting an end to that rivalry . I know that the BPP has intervened to say issues about procurement and contracts. The minister (Buhari) himself should also come out and state categorically what all of this means.

    “The power is with the GMD and the minister. Having promoted him out of relevance do you still think he has some power? That is why I am asking the substantive minister of petroleum to put an end to the conservation by stating whether him and the Federal Executive Council operated within the threshold that Baru talked about.”

    He said that he submitted the report the minister and Kachikwu is not the minister. He (Buhari) should tell us and his silence is not helping matters.”

    Meanwhile, the Executive Director, Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Rev. David Ugolor, said that Baru acted with the support of the president, who has refused to react to the issue.

    The advocate of good governance in the oil and gas industry added that Baru “acted with the backing of Mr. President. It wouldn’t have ever happened.”

    According to him, it is unfortunate that Kachikwu has not realized that it is time for him to resign.

    Ugolor said that “Now, he (Kachikwu) has not only been deeply embarrassed but he has also been deeply insulted.”

    He recalled that what happened to the secretary of the NNPC in Jonathan’s administration, Dr. Yinka Omoruke was summarily dismissed by the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison Madueke is now repeating itself.

    The minister had overwhelming influence in the government but now the NNPC boss is wielding the power.

    Ugolor noted that Kachikwu is protecting the interest of the citizenry but doubted whether Nigerians will be there for him when he is facing the music.

    He urged Nigerians to take their destiny into their hands, noting that “if they think that Buhari is going to rescue them, they (Nigerians) are on their own. This is not the first, not the third and not the last, they should not expect any miracle from President Buhari.”