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Group Chief Operating Officer, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari, has described his nomination as The Sun Man of the Year, as an honour that would encourage and propel him and his team to record more successes.
He said the award, coming from a credible and popular platform like The Sun, was a pleasant surprise as he and his team concentrate in their task of delivering excellence not expecting rewards.
The NNPCL boss and 25 others will be honoured at The Sun Awards ceremony on January 28, 2023 at the Expo Convention Centre, Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Speaking when the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Sun PublishingLimited, Onuoha Ukeh, led a delegation to present a letter notifying him of his nomination in Abuja, Kyari acknowledged that The Sun got it right as a lot has been achieved in the NNPCL, while praising the newspaper for appreciating the modest achievements recorded so far.
He dedicated the award to the NNPC workforce, as, according to him, without the workers, nothing would be achieved.
Kyari said: “This is for the NNPCL as a family. We’ve a very diligent workforce. We’ve built the company around the people. We’ve had a good working relationship with the board of the NNPCL in the last one year.
“This award will further encourage us as a company to do more for Nigerians. In the last one year, we’ve achieved a lot and I believe that this award will spur us further to go beyond what we have done already.
“I didn’t know about this award. I wasn’t consulted or told. It was a surprise and that is how it should be.”
Chairman of NNPCL board of directors, Senator Margery Chuba Okadigbo, who was present during the presentation of the nomination letter, hailed The Sun for finding Kyari worthy of the award.
“The NNPCL COO has a lot of energy and we know that he will do more in the coming years. This award will do more for us,” she noted.
The Sun MD, in his comments, said Kyari’s selection for the award was based on merit because of his outstanding contributions to national development as chief executive of the NNPCL
He said that history was made on July 19, 2022 when the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation metamorphosed from a full-fledged government entity that operated at a loss for years, to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, a profit-making, private sector-tailored outfit under your watch.”
Ukeh said Kyari declared the “corporation’s first profit in her 44 years of existence; successfully managed the Direct Sales and Direct Purchase arrangement of petroleum products to ensure energy security; and also championed Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and Open Government Partnership principles.
“You promoted the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act; and resolved decade-long disputes to unlock the deepwater. Furthermore, you introduced cost discipline and public disclosure of NNPC accounts; initiated action to rehabilitate ailing refineries and other critical downstream infrastructure in addition to deepening domestic gas utilisation.”
The MD said under Kyari’s watch, “major work is being done in the rehabilitation and overhaul of the refineries for optimal result. It is expected that the completion of this exercise, in phases, would change the trajectory in the supply chain of petroleum products in the country.
“You have also been at the forefront of ending oil theft and pipeline vandalism across the country’s oil fields to the point of suggesting stiffer penalty for offenders.”
He said that under Kyari’s leadership, the NNPC successfully flagged-off the construction of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline project in 2020. The project is an integral part of the Trans-Nigeria Gas Pipeline with a capacity to transport about 2.2 billion cubic feet of gas per day.
“We note that you also led the Corporation to achieve a $300 million reduction in the cost of the AKK gas pipeline contract via contract renegotiation from the initial $2.8 billion. Additional major stride in the gas sector was witnessed in 2020 with the commissioning of the Oredo Integrated Gas Handling Facility and the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Storage and Dispensing Unit, which are wholly owned and constructed by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company to address domestic gas supply challenges.”
Apart from the NNPCL boss, others who will also receive awards are, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (Man of the Year); Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State and Governor Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa (Governor of the Year); Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State (Courage in Leadership); Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State (Political Icon) and Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu (First Lady of the Year).
Other award winners are, General Overseer, Omega Power Ministries, Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere, Chief James Chijioke Ume, Chairman, Unubiko Foundation (Humanitarian Icon); Mr. Festus Mbisiogu, Chairman, Shanghai Engineering Works Limited, Lady Ada Chukwudozie of Dozzy Group (Industrialist of the Year); Barr Mrs. Ngozi Ekeoma, Managing Director, Nepal Energies Limited, Chief Benjamin Igwe (Entrepreneur of the Year) as well as Dr. Stanley Uzochukwu, Chairman of Stanel Group and Dr. John-Kennedy Opara, Chairman, CSS Ingrated Farms Limited (Investor of the Year).
Also to receive awards are, Chief Kelvin Jumbo Onumah, Chairman of Sublime Group Limited (Hospitality Personality), Mercy Johnson-Okogie (Nollywood Personality); philanthropist and elder statesman, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, ex-Anambra State governor; Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu, ex-Lagos Deputy Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, former Jigawa State governor (Lifetime Achievement).
Others are, Prof. Mohammed Sani Haruna, Executive Vice Chairman, National Agency for Science, Engineering Infrastructure; Dr. George Moghalu, MD, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA); Dr. Richard Okoye, Chief Medical Director, Save A Mission Hospital, Port Harcourt (Public Service) and Mr. Olukayode Pitan, MD, Bank of Industry (Banker of the Year).
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