The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has urged media outlets and practitioners to always adhere to the principles of fairness, accuracy, and objectivity in their reporting, especially on issues concerning the Nigerian oil and gas sector.
The national oil company made this appeal at a media engagement held on Thursday September 12, 2024 in Benin City, Edo State Capital, with selected print and online newspapers’ journalists.
At the interactive session, the Convener, Mr. Solomon Oseagah, while advised journalists to imbibe the ethics of the profession gave an insight into the workings of the NNPCL.
According to him, it is not the duty of the NNPCL to determine fuel prices, but that of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency (NMDPRA), which is saddled with the responsibilities of regulating the midstream and downstream petroleum operations in Nigeria. This includes technical, operational, and commercial activities.
On the issue relating to the delays in the operations of the national refineries, Mr. Oseagah explained that finishing touches were being put into the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, stressing that soon, they would be commissioned by President Bola Tinubu.
Oseagah further reeled out some of the giant strides of Mr. Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPCL, in the oil and gas sector which include, a major leap in daily crude production – from 900 million barrels to 1.6 million barrels; his fight against oil theft which has yielded positive results, amongst many others.
He noted that since the market has been deregulated, oil marketers are at liberty to fix petroleum prices.
On the Dangote Refinery controversy, the convener disclosed that the Federal Government has been magnanimous to the promoters of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical Company.
He revealed that the initiative provided the company with several support to begin its operations. He further dismissed the insinuations that the government was in fisticuffs with Dangote refinery, assuring that the NNPCL under Kyari’s leadership will continue to maintain professional standard and transparency in its operations which will be beneficial to Nigerians.
Some of the media practitioners who attended the parley thanked the NNPCL for the robust engagement as it provided them the opportunity to have first-hand information about the operations of the NNPCL and the controversies in the oil and gas sector.
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