By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has amplified the call made by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to account for an alleged missing N825 billion and $2.5 billion oil money.

Over the weekend, SERAP called on the government-owned commercial company to give an account of the funds believed to be missing.

This demand for accountability has been re-echoed by the umbrella body of all registered political parties and political associations in Nigeria.

The group had “consistently called for the probe of the NNPC and its officials, citing widespread corruption, mismanagement, and lack of transparency in the oil industry.”

In a statement signed by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr James Ezema, the CNPP said, “Sometime in 1999, the CNPP first raised concerns about the opaque nature of NNPC’s operations, calling for a comprehensive audit of the corporation’s finances.

“Our demands were met with resistance from the government, but we persisted, knowing that transparency and accountability are essential for good governance and the survival of our democracy.”

“Over the years, the CNPP has continued to push for reforms in the oil industry, calling for the sack of successive NNPC management teams, including the current Mele Kyari-led team. We have also demanded the prosecution of NNPC officials implicated in corruption scandals, but our calls have fallen on deaf ears.

“Despite the incorporation of NNPC as a commercial company under the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, the CNPP has maintained that this move was merely a smokescreen to perpetuate corruption. We insisted that the same management team remained in place and that the incorporation was an incorporation of corruption.

“The CNPP’s demands for accountability and transparency in NNPC Limited are therefore not new. We have been consistent in our calls for an independent forensic audit of NNPC Limited since 1999. We believe that it is in the best interests of the Nigerian people for NNPC Limited to open its accounts for a thorough audit, and all unremitted revenues traced, recovered and remitted to the Federation accounts.

“For us, the recent demand by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) for NNPC Limited to account for the alleged missing N825 billion and $2.5 billion is a welcome development. The CNPP wholeheartedly supports SERAP’s demand and calls on NNPC Limited to meet the demands without delay.

“We urge the Federal Government to take immediate action to address the allegations of corruption and mismanagement in NNPC Limited. The time for transparency and accountability is now, and we will continue to push for reforms in the oil industry until Nigerians can reap the benefits of their country’s rich natural resources.

“The CNPP warns that Nigerians will continue to suffer hardships until NNPC Limited begins to operate transparently and remit all revenues to the Federation accounts, thereby ending the yearly borrowings to finance Nigerian budgets, which have worsened since 2015.

“We call on all Nigerians to join other civil society bodies and concerned groups in demanding accountability and transparency in NNPC Limited. Together, we can push for reforms and ensure that our country’s natural resources are used for the benefit of all, not just a privileged few,” the statement said.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has been urged to extend the deadline for the payment of Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) by property owners in Abuja.

This plea for an extension was asked by the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) through a statement signed by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr James Ezema.

The group said the initial two-week grace period given to the affected allottees, which expired on Friday, January 3, 2025, was insufficient, considering the current economic challenges facing the country.

Recall that after public outcries, Mr Wike, who is the immediate past governor of Rivers State, granted an extension to the owners of the 762 revoked plots of land in Maitama, Abuja.

“We are appealing to the Minister and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to tamper justice with mercy and issue an extension in the spirit of the yuletide and in view of the economic challenges in the country,” the association stated.

It stressed that the extension would give the affected individuals and groups ample time to comply with the directive, thereby avoiding any undue hardship or loss.

“We pray that the Minister and the FCTA will grant the allottees an extension to comply with the directive, giving all the affected individuals and groups enough time to have themselves to blame at the end of the final extension,” the statement added.

The CNPP’s appeal comes on the heels of its recent expression of concern over the escalating hunger and suffering faced by millions of Nigerians due to the economic realities in the country.

By Adedapo Adesanya

BUA Group has denied widespread reports that its ongoing construction of a 200,000 barrels per day capacity refinery located in Akwa Ibom State is 90 per cent completed.

In a statement signed on Sunday, the group with subsidiaries in food, cement, and energy sectors said that the claims that the structure was at end stage did not come from it.

“Contrary to a misleading report stating that our 200,000 barrels/day refinery is at 90% completion, BUA wishes to advise the public to disregard such misleading reports that did not emanate from us,” a part of the statement read.

It clarified that the project was progressing well and added that it was going to meet the project timeline of 2025.

“As we make remarkable strides on our Akwa Ibom refinery project, we are proud to share that construction is progressing steadily.

“Whilst the refinery is not at 90% completion, we are however on track to meet our delivery timelines in collaboration with our partners.

“This BUA Refinery & Petrochemicals project represents a major milestone in strengthening Nigeria’s refining capacity and energy security,” the group said.

BUA is also carrying out other energy projects, including the construction of a mini-LNG plant and several new hybrid power plants across the country, which it said are also progressing rapidly.

The group says this will add additional capacity to our over 1,000MW installed captive power generation capacity.

“The public is advised to verify any news through our official channels and platforms so as not to be misled by mischievous persons,” the statement said.

“At BUA, we remain committed to transparency and excellence. As we have consistently done with over 12 of our completed mega industrial projects worth over $ 3.5 billion in the past 10 years, we will continue to keep you updated with verifiable and accurate information only where necessary, and as milestones are achieved.

“We appreciate the public’s interest and enthusiasm for this transformative project as we work together in building a stronger industrial and manufacturing base for a self-reliant Nigeria,” it added.