The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Senator Heineken Lokpobori, has washed his hand on the increase of fuel price to N1,000 per litre by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
In a statement today, September 3, signed by Nnemaka Okafor, who is Special Adviser, the Minister said: “The Federal Government is compelled to address the outright falsehoods currently being circulated on social media, which claim that the Honourable Minister for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to inflate petroleum prices above the approved pump price.
The minister made it clear that NNPC Limited operates as an independent entity and that he would not interfere in its affairs.
“It must be stressed that NNPCL operates as an independent entity under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), with a fully empowered Board of Directors.
“The Ministry of Petroleum Resources does not, and will not, interfere in the internal decisions of NNPCL, including pricing matters.
“Any suggestion otherwise is incorrect and reveals a profound misunderstanding of the deregulated nature of Nigeria’s petroleum sector.”
He condemned the claims that the ministry gave directive to the company to raise the price of petrol 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.”
