The Joint Northern Action Groups has thrown its weight behind the Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) Mele Kyari for his giant strides in the oil sector.
The spokesperson of the group, Comrade Abdulhameed Enaji, while briefing newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, said the NNPCL has put strategic measures in place to ensure that the environment is safeguarded and preserved.
According to him, as a result, the levels of pollution have drastically reduced which has made the environment safer for Nigerians.
He said another significant achievement recorded by NNPCL is the absence of black soot over Port Harcourt in recent times.
“This is a result of NNPCL’s commitment to environmental safety which has resulted in cleaner air for the people of Port Harcourt.
“Foreign ships coming to steal crude oil from Nigeria waters have been drastically reduced following the stringent measures put in place by NNPCL under Mele Kyari.
“This has resulted in a significant drop in illegal crude oil sales and has helped the Nigerian Government in generating more revenue.
” Nigeria’s crude oil production has gone up under the leadership of Mele Kyari which has seen Nigeria regain its spot as Africa’s top crude oil producer from Angola. This has been beneficial to Nigerians as it has helped in boosting the Nigerian economy and increasing foreign reserves.
“The creation of jobs by Tantita, a subsidiary of NNPCL, has helped reduce the attacks on pipelines by militants and improved the security of oil installations in Nigeria.
He expressed concern on a protest staged in Abuja by what he described as “some fictitious” groups calling for the sack and probe of Kyari.
He said the obscure groups Northern Youth Advocacy for Good Governance Initiative and Arewa Youth Forum also called on the federal government to suspend the Executive Vice President (Upstream), Adokye Tombomieye, the Managing Director, Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) Ali Muhammed Zahra and Managing Director, National Petroleum Investment Management Services and Bala Wunti.
“We note with deep concern the ongoing campaign by sponsored groups of individuals masquerading as members of fictitious Northern Nigerian Youth groups calling for the removal of Mele Kyari as the Group Chief Executive of NNPCL.
“We call on Nigerians to remain vigilant and reject any attempt by selfish individuals to use the guise of civil society to advance their own interests,” he said .