Udora Orizu in Abuja
A group under the umbrella of Greater Nigeria Professionals (GNP) has commended the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Mele Kyari, for being honoured with the ‘The Sun Man of The Year Award 2022’ for the second consecutive time.
While describing the conferment of the Award on Kyari as well deserved, GNP said rewarding a performer for outstanding contribution to national development, will no doubt encourage all persons holding public office and leaders that outstanding performance would be rewarded.
In a statement signed by the GNP Chairman, Dr. Ahmed Tahir, he said although in 2021, Kyari was recognised with the same award, to the admiration of Nigerans and many other stakeholders, his unrelenting efforts at making indelible mark in national development as continued to encourage the Borno-born oil czar to keep pushing for a better Nigeria.
The group said it decided to commend Mele Kyari because he has always served Nigeria diligently throughout his career, especially championing transparency and accountability in the operations of the oil and gas industry.
‘‘Within three years of his stewardship as GMD NNPC, Kyari led the transformation of NNPC’s performance, from a loss-making company to a profitable one in the year 2020 when, for the first time in its 44 years of history, NNPC declared a profit after tax of N287bn. This was scaled up to 674bn profit after tax in 2021,’’ it added.
The group also commended Kyari for repositioning NNPC for global competitiveness, by securing alternative project financing for several important projects.
GNI said it commended Kyari for achieving the closeout of the Final Investment Decision of the multi-billion-dollar NLNG Train 7 Project despite the global pandemic in 2020.
The GNI stated, ‘‘Mele has successfully renegotiated the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline contract. He played an important role in facilitating the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.’’
According to the group also, for a performer like Kyari, the ongoing fuel scarcity is not enough to judge his contributions.
‘‘Because of a poor understanding of what is going on; or for sheer mischief, Nigerians look for and find a scapegoat in the NNPC Ltd and its leadership under Mele Kyari. If only they know the dynamics that combine to produce these fuel queues, they will be saluting Mr Kyari and the NNPC under his leadership, instead of maligning him. Kyari works 24/7 to make sure that despite daunting challenges, PMS, or petrol, is available in Nigeria daily,’’ stated the group.
