Chief Sunny Onuesoke, a prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Delta State gubernatorial aspirant, has expressed strong criticism over the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited’s (NNPC) role as a middleman in the distribution of petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery to marketers.
In a statement made yesterday, Onuesoke reacted to the fuel pump price released by NNPC for Dangote Refinery products, calling for the refinery to sell its products directly to major or independent marketers without NNPC’s involvement. He argued that the presence of NNPC in the supply chain would inevitably lead to increased fuel prices in the country.
Onuesoke, who also serves as the chairman of DAS Energy Services Limited, Udu near Warri, highlighted NNPC’s inefficiency, noting that the company has failed to produce fuel from its own refineries for over 20 years. He questioned why NNPC, which has struggled with its own operations, should now be allowed to interfere in the sales of an independent refinery’s products.
He called on the federal government to dismiss NNPC’s Managing Director, Mele Kyari, and reorganize the company to better serve Nigerians. “What value does NNPC add by becoming a middleman between Dangote Refinery and major marketers? NNPC has been functioning for over 20 years without producing oil. We want to know what NNPC’s role is in a privately owned refinery like Dangote’s,” Onuesoke emphasized.
He further argued that in developed countries, refineries sell directly to marketers, citing the example of Total Oil in the United States, where products are sold directly to filling stations for end users. Onuesoke concluded by criticizing NNPC for profiting from Dangote’s efforts without contributing to the production process.
