*The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited clarifies the renovated Port Harcourt Oil Refinery is still working, as preparations for continued product loading operations are underway

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has insisted that the renovated Port Harcourt Refinery is still working.

The state-owned oil giant Saturday, December 21, 2024, clarified that preparations for continued loading operations were underway.

Mr. Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer at NNPCL, noted this in a statement at the weekend.

Soneye, in the statement, reacted to a news report that the refinery had stopped loading petroleum products barely a month after it was declared open for operations.

NNPCL, however, stated that the refinery is fully operational, as former NNPC Group Managing Directors affirmed this development a few days ago.

Saturday PUNCH had earlier reported that less than a month after the Port Harcourt Refining Company appeared to have resumed production, the facility had stopped working.

Soneye, nonetheless, said preparation for today’s (Saturday’s) loading was ongoing at the time of sending out the press statement.

He noted in the statement: 鈥淭he attention of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has been drawn to reports in a section of the media alleging that the Old Port Harcourt Refinery, which was re-streamed two months ago has been shut down.

鈥淲e wish to clarify that such reports are totally false as the refinery is fully operational as verified a few days ago by former Group Managing Directors of NNPCL.

鈥淧reparation for the day鈥檚 loading operation is currently ongoing.”

The NNPCL Chief Corporate Communications Officer urged energy consumers and members of the public to disregard the misleading report.

The malicious reports were the handiwork of individuals attempting to create artificial scarcity and exploit Nigerians, stated he.

Soneye further said: “Members of the public are advised to discountenance such reports as they are the figments of the imagination of those who want to create artificial scarcity and rip-off Nigerians.”

Nigerian energy consumers react

Commenting on the issue, Olatunji Grace, a social media user with the handle @Tunjigrace, expressed her frustration, questioning the intentions of those who wish for things to go wrong in Nigeria.

Olatunji criticised individuals who discredit positive developments, stating, “Who are these people?聽Does any other nation have such unfortunate citizens who pray for failure?”

She also expressed disappointment in a report by Punch Newspaper, describing it as “devilish and stupid journalism” that hides behind the guise of a “report.”

Another user, Patrick @Williamskane4, accused some news media organisations of working with opposition political parties to spread fake news and misinformation.

Patrick stated: “In collaboration with some opposition political parties, they spread lies, making propaganda their trade.”

Meanwhile, Sarki @Waspapping, another user, defended the Old Port Harcourt Refinery’s operations, stating that the refinery is fully functional.

He questioned why some individuals and media outlets were spreading false narratives about shortages, claiming they aimed to exploit Nigerians.

Sarki emphasised that such misinformation benefits those who profit from scarcity and high prices, and urged Nigerians to see through the lies and support local production efforts.

For decades, efforts at reviving the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) seemed insurmountable.

Mele Kyari鈥檚 resolve to transform energy landscape

It should be noted that under Malam Mele Kyari’s leadership, the once-elusive goal has been realised, signalling a critical step towards achieving energy self-sufficiency in the country.

This success is not only a milestone for the NNPCL but a testament to Kyari鈥檚 resolve to transform Nigeria鈥檚 energy landscape.

The Port Harcourt Refinery Company, in Eleme, is a sprawling facility divided into a 60,000 barrels per day old refinery, and a new one capable of refining 150,000 barrels per day.

The old refinery, operational since 1965, is Nigeria鈥檚 first refinery and had remained idle since 1990 when the newer unit became the primary production hub.

After over 30 years of dormancy, the old Port Harcourt refinery, which has a unique configuration where one barrel of crude oil yields a maximum of 23鈥�24 percent gasoline, was recently reopened by the NNPC Limited amid shock by forces against the revival of the country’s four refineries.

After the $1.5 billion approved by the Federal Government in 2021 for the comprehensive rehabilitation of the refinery had been judiciously spent, the NNPCL under Kyari’s sound leadership, reopened the Old Port Harcourt Refinery Tuesday, November 26, 2024.

The old Port Harcourt Refinery is currently producing straight-run gasoline (Naphtha) blended into 1.4 million liters of PMS daily; 900,000 liters of kerosene; 1.5 million liters of Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel); 2.1 million liters of Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO), and additional volumes of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), also known as cooking gas.

Attempts by sceptics to rubbish the achievement recorded with the 60,000-barrel-per-day Port Harcourt Refinery had been roundly repudiated by the NNPCL, workers at the refinery, experts, and delegates from the Presidency, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, and Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers.

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