Heineken Lokpobiri, the minister of Petroleum Resources (oil) has denied ordering the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to inflate petroleum prices to one N1000, above the approved pump price, stating that the claims were baseless and a deliberate attempt to incite public discontent.
Lokpobiri in a statement signed by Nnemaka Okafor, his special Adviser, media and communication, stressed that NNPCL operates as an independent entity under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), with a fully empowered Board of Directors, hence the Ministry of Petroleum Resources does not, and will not, interfere in the internal decisions of NNPCL, including pricing matters.
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The statement read, “The Federal Government is compelled to address the outright falsehoods currently being circulated on social media, which claim that the Honourable Minister of state Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to inflate petroleum prices to one thousand Naira (N1000) above the approved pump price. We categorically condemn these claims as baseless, malicious, and a deliberate attempt to incite public discontent.
“We challenge anyone in possession of any evidence-be it written documents, audio, or video recordings-that supports these fabrications to make it public. Such a claim is entirely devoid of truth and should be recognized as an intentional effort to mislead the public.
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“Any suggestion otherwise is not only incorrect but also reveals a profound misunderstanding of the deregulated nature of Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
The public is hereby strongly advised to dismiss these malicious rumors. The Honourable Minister cannot, and does not, direct NNPCL or any other entity within the sector to manipulate prices.
Any claim to the contrary is nothing more than an ill- conceived attempt to sow discord and confusion.”
