Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL group managing director, Mele Kyari, has insisted that the Port Harcourt refinery is up and running contrary to reports that it was not functioning as being claimed by the company.
Kyari who was speaking at the commissioning ceremony of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, 7-storey new national secretariat in Lagos said the complex was producing both petrol and kerosine.
“The repairs of Port Harcourt and other refineries are real. The Port Harcourt refinery is running. As we speak, the plant is running and loading is going on.”
He added that the Warri and Kaduna refinery would soon come on stream as working is going on progressively.
“I invite you to visit the Warri Refinery and Kaduna refineries or you can nominate any person of your choice to visit. Work is going. Port Harcourt is producing not only Petrol, but also kerosene. We will shock you with the other refineries. We will not give you a date (of resumption of production).”
Also President Bola Tinubu’s special adviser on information and strategy Bayo Onanuga, said after a fact-finding tour said the Port Harcourt refinery is operating at 70 percent installed capacity with plans to increase production shortly.
“I was part of a fact-finding team that visited the 60,000 barrels daily Port Harcourt Refining Complex on Wednesday. I will now share our findings.
“Our team, guided by the refinery’s Managing Director Ibrahim Onoja, toured the entire complex, from the computerised control room to the loading bay and every section in between. We asked pointed questions and received satisfactory answers, dispelling our doubts and misconceptions.
“Nigerians must ignore naysayers and false information about the refinery’s operations. While it is not currently running at 100%, it is functioning at 70% installed capacity, with plans to increase production shortly.
“Furthermore, the refinery receives regular crude supplies, contrary to claims that it lacks crude to refine.”
