The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has spoken up against the consistent delays in the complete rehabilitation of the 210,000 barrels per day Port Harcourt Refinery, Warri Refinery, and Kaduna Refinery.
The group recently revealed that something must be done, as the completion deadline has been missed too many times.
Speaking via an official press statement, PETROAN stated that despite repeated assurances from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its officials, the deadline for completion keeps getting postponed.
The association maintained that while they appreciate the commencement of work at the Old Port Harcourt refinery with the capacity of 60,000 barrels per day, the urgent need for commissioning of the 2nd Port Harcourt Refinery with the capacity of 210,000 barrels per day, the Warri refinery and the Kaduna Refinery cannot be overemphasised.
According to PETROAN, completion of the 2nd Port Harcourt refinery will go a long way towards reducing the cost of logistics/transportation of petroleum products from Lagos to the system 2E areas, therefore, it has to be wrapped up as soon as possible.
“While we acknowledge and applaud the commencement of the Old Port Harcourt refinery with the capacity of 60,000 barrels per day, we cannot stress enough the urgent need for commissioning, transparency and accountability of the second Port Harcourt Refinery with the capacity of 210,000 barrels per day, the Warri refinery and the Kaduna Refinery.
The Second Port Harcourt refinery, when completed, will serve the whole of system 2E, comprising about 13 states. This will reduce the cost of logistics/transportation of petroleum products from Lagos to the system 2E areas. The current cost of transportation is highly exorbitant and affects the affordability of petroleum products in System 2E areas.
Nigerians and stakeholders want to know the exact date of delivery of the revamp project. The Nigerian people deserve clarity on when they can expect the refineries to commence operations and contribute to alleviating the nation’s fuel scarcity challenges.
We call on the relevant authorities to ensure that the NNPC adheres strictly to the contract timeline, once provided, and maintains regular communication with stakeholders on the project’s progress,” it read.
Billy Gillis Harry, the National President of PETROAN, insisted that the unacceptable delay must be addressed immediately, noting that the massive amount borrowed for the projects remains a serious concern to all citizens who will keep demanding accountability.
“The continuous delay in the completion of the Port Harcourt Refinery rehabilitation project and other refinery projects is unacceptable, and Nigerians deserve to know when the projects will be completed. The huge amount borrowed for the projects should be a serious concern to all citizens, and we will demand accountability for every naira spent on this project,” he added.
