The Nigerian National Oil Company has again failed to start fuel production at its Port Harcourt refinery in Rivers State.
This is despite the fact that as of August 2024, the refinery has not been able to start operations after about six postponements.
Newsmen observed that the promises made by the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and NNPC to Nigerians regarding the refinery are still hitting a wall.
NNPC Chief Financial Officer Umar Aziya said the Port Harcourt refinery would begin operations in September 2024, following a renegade on a promise made in early August.
Ajiya had told reporters in August that the petroleum products would be ready for testing before being supplied to the domestic market in September.
As September ended, NNPC had not released any updates regarding the refinery.
The Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the oil company, Mr. Olufemi Soniye, did not respond to queries sent on September 22 and 30, 2024.
However, Maile Tecnimont, the contractor overseeing the renovation of the Port Harcourt refinery, said it would provide details on the completion of the project by October 2.
The contractor made this known through law firm Olajide Oyewole LLP in response to a letter from Nigeria’s senior lawyer, Femi Falana, inquiring about the timeline for completion of the refinery’s rehabilitation.
In response to Mr. Falana’s request, the law firm said its client had received letters dated September 17 and 24 regarding the contract with NNPC and was considering an investigation.
“Our client is considering your letter and expects to respond by October 2, 2024,” the law firm said.
Since December 2023, the NNPC, which has jurisdiction over all government refineries, has given different dates to Nigerians, assuring them that the refineries will soon start selling refined products.
In July, NNPC group chief executive Mele Kyari confirmed that the refinery would be operational in early August.
However, the promise was not fulfilled when it was postponed for the sixth time in August.
NNPC said it is proceeding as planned, but the refinery has not yet begun operations.
