Recently spewing the cumulus clouds of contradictions into an already tense economic atmosphere was the claim by the Board and Management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) on what it claimed as the “safe and successful restart of the 60,000 barrels per day old Port Harcourt Refinery.”
That was on Tuesday, November 26, 2024. According to the statement, signed by the Chief Corporate Communication Officer of the company, Olufemi Soneye, the production marked a significant step forward after years of operational challenges and underperformance.
But hardly had the piece of news about the literal ‘resurrection’ of the Port Harcourt Refinery gone viral on social media that counter claims came from some concerned members of staff of the NNPC Ltd as well as the Alesa community in Elemo axis of the oil-rich state.
This smoky scenario which stirred the hornet’s nest underscores the ever- widening disconnect between the government and its agencies on one hand, and the larger Nigerian society on the other. Where really, does the truth lie?
That is the million-naira question. Contrary to the claim by the NNPC Ltd that the refinery is currently at 70% of its installed capacity, with plans to hit 90% and producing Straight -Run Gasoline (Naphtha) as blended into 1.4 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and 900,000 litres of kerosene, the workers in question insist otherwise.
They have unequivocally stated that the moribund refinery has not really started refining fuel not to talk about trucking and dispensing PMS to the public! What has actually transpired was the NNPC Ltd purchasing cracked C5 petroleum resins from Indorama Eleme Petrochemical Ltd.
This is blended with other products, including Naphtha. Furthermore, the workers emphasised that the old 60,000 bpd capacity cannot presently refine PMS except diesel. And that truth is told, according to them the part of the refinery that produces PMS is yet to start.
Furthermore, they affirmed that the petroleum products loaded on the said day were not newly refined but came from products long stored in the storage tanks of the facility in the past three years!
It is not for us to keep on stewing in the painful paradox of preventable poverty in the midst of vast natural resources
Curiously, the firm position of the workers has been confirmed by the Secretary of the Alesa Community Stakeholders, Timothy Mgbere.
He also insists that the 60,000 barrels per day capacity facility is yet to become fully operational. And to hit the nail of controversy harder on its head Alesa revealed on a popular television programme that the refinery loaded only six trucks of petroleum products on the fateful Tuesday.
That is contrary to the claim by the NNPC Ltd that it has begun loading 200 trucks per day. So, who is fooling who? Lest we forget, there has been a longwinding history of seven failed deadlines for the coming on stream of the Port Harcourt Refinery into full operational capacity.
Mind you, there have been several Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) of this same refinery, amongst the three others located at Warri, Kaduna and of course, Port Harcourt that have gulped trillions from the public purse right from the tenure of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
Unfortunately, there has been no value for the huge sums surreptitiously spent to revive the comatose refineries. That situation juxtaposed with the current controversies has sparked some burning questions.
For instance, is it true, as the NNPC Ltd has claimed that in addition to the gasoline and kerosene it has started the production of Automotive Gas (AGO or Diesel) of 1.5 million litres? Is it also in reality that it has begun the production of Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO) of 2.1 million litres and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) of Additional Volumes?
We, as Nigerians, desire to know the truth and nothing but the truth. We must therefore, at this critical point, emphasise the significance and imperative of the unfailing principle of trust as the key element that binds and strengthens every relationship.
That between the economic and political leaders is inclusive. While the production of PMS and other refined petroleum products has been long awaited by millions of long-suffering Nigerians such must be accomplished propelled by the principles of accountability, probity, and transparency.
It therefore, means that all those officers found culpable in any underhand practice should be fished out and brought to public justice.
All said, what matters at the end of the day is for Nigerians to begin to maximally benefit from the products of the vast natural resources God has graciously blessed the country with. It is not for us to keep on stewing in the painful paradox of preventable poverty in the midst of vast natural resources.
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