*Say arrest of refineries’ MDs will clear him of alleged fraud
*Jubilation greets Port Harcourt refinery as workers okay arrest, probe of sacked MD
*Official document reveals breakdown of over $1.5bn refinery project approval, award, and disbursement
By Dauda Ismail, Abuja
Purported arrest of the former Group Chief Executive Officer, GCEO, of the NNPC Ltd, Dr Mele Kolo Kyari , OFR, if effected, would cause many who worked under him and know him to feel disappointed and distraught, investigations have revealed.
This was the position of some sources at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPC L,td who spoke to AljazirahNigeria Newspapers during an investigation.
It would be recalled that some online news media platforms at the weekend, reported that Kyari had been arrested and detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Although Kyari had in a post on his X handle on Saturday, denied reports that he is in the custody of the EFCC, describing the claim as a mischievous fabrication aimed at tarnishing his image, these sources at the NNPC Ltd who vouched for him unequivocally during his tenure as both Group Managing Director, GMD, of the NNPC, and later as GCEO of the NNPC.Ltd, say such arrest would be disappointing to repay him for his efforts and unprecedented achievements in the oil sector.
“The story is a clear case of mischief and calculated falsehood. I am currently taking a well-deserved rest after the dissolution of the NNPC Ltd board and management.
“I served not only my country but also God,”Kyari himself had said about his purported arrest and detention, adding that as a devout Muslim, he is ever conscious of divine accountability and therefore open to responding to any lawful inquiries about his stewardship he posted.
Following EFCC’s probe of officials at the NNPC Ltd, there’s been
an uneasy calm in the corporation’s headquarters as staff gathered in small groups to discuss the matter. Calls to the new GCEO was unanswered as at the time of filling this report. However, when AljazirahNigeria spoke with a few staff who craved anonymity, they largely extolled the virtues of the former GCEO.
“For any who worked closely with the former GCEO and who got to know him, such a person will never be moved about news of his probe by the EFCC or any other anti-graft or security agency. This is because we know him to be an honest, straight forward and god-fearing person. So instead of smearing his image, such a probe can only clear it,” a source at the NNPC Ltd headquarters told AljazirahNigeria.
Another source, a director at the NNPC Ltd who spoke to this medium said: “You see, even though we later found out that his purported arrest and detention by the EFCC, was false, we who know him after working under several bosses at the NNPC and later NNPC Ltd, know how clean an committed he was to cleansing Nigeria’s oil sector.
“Having worked in the sector for over three decades, he experienced firsthand how the cankerworm of corruption had eaten deep into the fabric of the oil sector, which is actually the goose that lays the golden egg for our dear nation, Nigeria.
“So he set out to cleanse the entire sector, not minding whose ox was gored. That is why you saw the campaign of calumny sponsored against him by those thieves who he stopped from stealing.
“That is why we know for sure that if he is truly and eventually arrested, these thieves would be the first to regret such arrest as it would in no small way vindicate him and clear his name of the lies that were sponsored against him.
“And even though that would be done in hindsight, the Nigerian masses would come to see him for who he truly is, and the level he went to cleanse the sector.”
Another source said: “If only Nigerans knew how corrupt the Managing Directors, MDs of the various refineries are, they would be calling for their arrest and prosecution. I bet you,that is where the bulk of the corruption takes place.”
According to the source, the revelations of billions of dollars found in the accounts of the sacked MDs would testify to the monumental fraud at that level. “Just imagine the revelations of the humongous sums of money in hard currency found in the accounts of these sacked MDs. Nigerians can now see how corrupt they were.”
Meanwhile, further investigations by AljazirahNigeria Newspapers revealed that there was jubilation in Port Harcourt as staff of the Port Harcourt Refinery celebrated the ongoing investigation of the sacked MD, Ibrahim Onoja.
“You see, we’re all happy because his arrest and investigation is long overdue. The former MD was so arrogant and did all he did with so much impunity like he was untouchable.
“Was it his high-handedness, shady deals shrouded in the lack of transparency? He clearly lived a lavish lifestyle way beyond his means. Is itt the luxury apartment he lives in? Nobody was surprised about the revelations from the EFCC, so we were all happy,” one source, a female staff said.
Another source said: “Just N80bn in Ibrahim Onoja’s various accounts? Not at all; the EFCC should dig deeper because we who worked under him while he was MD of the PHRC know that what he embezzled should be much more than that.
“Someone who lavished money with reckless abandon? Or should we talk about the gadgets and large array of choicest cars he drives and buys for his family and cronies?
“We implore the EFCC to dig deeper as we know they’d find much more hidden by him”.
Yet another said: “Large amounts have been discovered in his accounts. About N80bn has so far been discovered in his various accounts.
In a document titled: Approval For the Award of Contract for the Provision of Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Installation and Commissioning Services for the Port Harcourt Refining Company, the Rehabilitation Project, and made available to AljazirahNigeria Newspapers, it gave a breakdown of how the various contracts awarded for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery took place.
A few of the awarded contracts include: Petroleum Resources/Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, in favour of Messrs Tecnimont SPA, in the Total Project cost of USD1,559,239,084.36 (One Billion, Five Hundred and Fifty-nine Million, Two Hundred and Thirty-nine Thousand, Eighty-four United States Dollars, Thirty-Six Cents) with an estimated project duration between 18 and 44 months from the date of mobilization as follows: Lump sum of USD1,426,895,817.83 (One Billion, Four Hundred and Twenty-six Million, Eight Hundred and Ninety-five Thousand, Eight Hundred and Seventeen United States Dollars, Eighty-Three Cents) inclusive of 7.5% VAT.(Contract Price USD1,327,344,946.82 and 7.5% VAT USD99,550,871.01)Provisional sum of USD130,250,559.28 (One Hundred and Thirty Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand, Five Hundred and Fifty-nine United States Dollars, Twenty-eight Cents).Reimbursable sum of USD2,092,707.25 (Two Million, Ninety-two Thousand, Seven Hundred and Seven United States Dollars, Twenty-five Cents).approve the issuance of Import Duty Exemption Certification, IDEC, for the procurement of all foreign equipment and materials for the execution of the Refineries project”.
Earlier awarded contracts were as follows:
“Technical Bids Evaluation commenced on January 09, 2021 and was concluded on January 15, 2021. Furthermore, the Commercial bids evaluation commenced immediately thereafter, and the process was concluded on February 09, 2021. Following the Technical Bids evaluation and subsequent Commercial Bids analysis, Messrs Tecnimont SpA of Italy emerged as the lowest evaluated responsive bid with a total contract price of USD2.23Billion, VAT inclusive. However, in line with NNPC’s current Management drive for cost optimisation and execution excellence, the evaluation team was further tasked to engage Messrs Tecnimont SpA to negotiate their bid price downwards.
“Subsequent upon the above, Messrs Tecnimont SpA was invited on January 15, 2021 and their bid price was negotiated downwards from USD2.23Billion to USD1.42Billion (VAT inclusive), resulting to a discount and cost savings of USD800million to NNPC. Following the conclusion of the tendering process and negotiations, NNPC Tenders Board ,NTB, at its 176th meeting of February 10, 2021 considered and recommended the award of contract to Messrs Tecnimont SpA of Italy at the Total Project Cost of USD1,559,239,084.36. Copies of the Evaluation Committee Membership, Prequalification & Technical Bid Reports as well as other relevant Documents are attached to this memorandum as Annex III.
“The NNPC thereafter forwarded all the documents to the BPP for review and issuance of a Due Process Certificate of “No Objection” in favor of Messrs Tecnimont SpA for the rehabilitation project of the Port-Harcourt Refining Company, in the total sum of USD1,559,239,084.36, made up of Lump sum cost of USD1,426,895,817.83, inclusive of 7.5% VAT, Provisional sum of USD130,250,559.28 and Reimbursable cost of USD2,092,707.25. Copies of the BPP Certificate of “No Objection and the Review Report which include the Due Diligence on the Contractor (Pg 39) are attached to this memorandum as Annex IV.”
However, many stakeholders who spoke to this medium say they await the outcome of the full investigation by the EFCC.
