We Did Not Pay Militants--NNPC

Source: burningpot.com

The NNPC has denied ever paying Niger Delta militants any money, while also noting that news reports from the House of Representatives indicating the country's fuel stock and crude oil supply will dry out in 15 days was far from the truth.

Group General Manager (GGM) Public Affairs of the Corporation, Dr. Levi Ajuonuma made the disclosure in a statement released in reaction to allegation made by, Chief Alfred Bubor, National chairman, Host Communities Producing Oil and Gas in Nigeria

at the House of Representatives on Wednesday.
Chief Bubor alleged that the NNPC paid Niger Delta militants N1.26 million to police its pipelines in the Chanomi creek of Delta State last year but the corporation denied the allegation.

“It could be recalled that on the 18th of February, 2006 militants blew up the crude supply line in the Chanomi creek in Delta state thus shutting supply to the Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) and Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company (KRPC)”, the NNPC statement read.

According to the NNPC, Zachem International was picked for the job in August 2008 but the company made an outrageous demand.

“The NNPC then asked the community to get a competent contractor to do the job. The Community eventually found a company from within them that finally did the job for about the said amount. And they did a good job, completing it ahead of schedule,”

he said.
“The NNPC has no problem whatsoever with fuel stock. We still import about 90% of our domestic demands for white products and we have enough for continual normal supply. We are not seeing any signs in disruption of supply,” the Corporation disclosed.

In an ambiguous submission regarding crude oil supply, the Corporation's statement read: “the crude supply line to Warri and Kaduna refineries have been disrupted by the crises in the Niger Delta. The Kaduna refinery is currently undergoing a Turn Around Maintenance (TAM).

That TAM will be completed in the next few weeks. We are not in short supply of crude to serve Kaduna Refinery as all efforts are put in place to fix the pipelines before the completion of its TAM.”

The Corporation also denied that the Port Harcourt Petrochemical Refinery has been shut as a result of shortage of crude supply.

“What is happening in the Port Harcourt Refinery is that we are undertaking a Planed Work Load, as a result of the routine maintenance going on. The Refinery is not shut and it is not lacking crude oil supply.

“We want Nigerians to disregard these reports please,” the statement read. People should not go into panic buying of products, as we are comfortable in fuel stock.”

C. Vanguard

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