SANA'A: Yemen's Oil and Minerals Minister Hisham Sharaf vehemently denied that Omar al-Arhabi, the Director of Yemen Petroleum Company had ever presented his resignation, even less so that he had accepted it. The minister maintains that if indeed al-Ahrabi was currently fulfilling his functions it was due to poor health and not as many would have let it believe because he had left YPC. Only last week several, high ranking officials within the oil ministry told Bikyamasr.com that pressure to quit had been exerted on al-Arhabi following accusations by YPC workers of corruption, adding that the director had preferred to leave Yemen rather than face his colleagues' anger. The ministry announced on Saturday in an official statement that al-Arhabi had traveled to Jordan for medical reasons and that he would come back upon the completion of his treatment to resume his position at the head of the YPC. However, Mansour al-Naqash, the company's media officer, confirmed that al-Arhabi had indeed presented his resignation earlier last week, adding that a committee had been set up upon his departure to deal with the running of the company's affairs while a new director was being appointed. The director, who was a well-known figure of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh's regime has been accused of siphoning oil revenues for his own financial benefit, allowing corruption to strive under his command. Public opinion seems to be convinced of his guilt, but it is important to note that a “witch hunt” led by al-Islah loyalists is currently taking place in Yemen, specifically targeting Saleh's loyalists. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/pl6rU Tags: Arhabi, Ministry, Oil, Yemen Section: Latest News, Yemen
