Civil Society Coalition Demands Probe Into $1.5Billion Port Harcourt Refinery Project Under Ex-NNPCL Boss Mele Kyari
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the coalition convener, Mr. Michael Omoba, alleged massive fiscal mismanagement, insisting that the refinery remains non-functional despite the colossal expenditure.
Acoalition of civil society organisations under the banner of Situation Room on Transparency and Accountability has called for a full-scale investigation into the $1.5 billion investment earmarked for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery by the immediate past Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr. Mele Kyari.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the coalition convener, Mr. Michael Omoba, alleged massive fiscal mismanagement, insisting that the refinery remains non-functional despite the colossal expenditure.
“Nigerians were made to believe that the funds allocated by the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration in 2021 were meant for the comprehensive rehabilitation of two refineries. But what happened? The entire fund was diverted and spent on only the Port Harcourt refinery,” Omoba said.
He questioned why the original plan to rehabilitate two refineries was abandoned without explanation, describing it as a “national capture of our resources.”
“The said refinery turned out to be non-functional, failing to meet the least functional or industrial standard that was expected of such an investment. Indeed, such fiscal mismanagement would have been the subject of a rigorous criminal investigation involving every national and international party,” Omoba said.
The coalition decried the lack of transparency and accountability in the NNPCL’s dealings under Kyari’s leadership, arguing that such economic missteps have significantly hindered Nigeria’s development trajectory.
“The gross mismanagement of funds in the oil and gas sector over the past five years has stifled our economic and infrastructural development, impoverished citizens who have faithfully paid taxes, and sabotaged sustainability,” Omoba said.
He further warned that these actions have discouraged legitimate investment and encouraged speculative capital rather than stable foreign direct investment (FDI), describing the situation as an “elite syndicate conspiracy against the citizens.”
“This NNPCL revelation is a betrayal of the Nigerian dream, and this economic haemorrhaging must stop. In addition to the many atrocious adventures of Kyari’s leadership, the suspension of the Naira-for-crude policy under his tenure was a monumental disservice and disability to our local economy,” he added.
The coalition has demanded the immediate constitution of a Special Commission of Inquiry to investigate all financial activities of NNPCL under Kyari’s administration over the past five years.
Omoba also called for a forensic audit of the company’s transactions and urged that all culpable individuals face prosecution.
In addition, the group urged the National Assembly to conduct a legislative hearing to ensure that the newly-appointed NNPCL board operates with the highest standards of transparency and accountability.
