The Senate Ad-Hoc Committee to Investigate the Turnaround Maintenance of Nigeria’s Refineries announced that the Port Harcourt Refinery is slated to commence operations before the end of December.
This update came after a courtesy visit to the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, by the committee, led by Senator Ifeanyi Ubah. Governor Fubara highlighted the state government’s commitment to supporting federal initiatives aimed at improving the lives of Nigerians through the Renewed Hope Agenda, spearheaded by President Bola Tinubu.
Fubara emphasized the importance of infrastructure development in enhancing the lives of the people, mentioning the ongoing construction of the Woji-Aleto-Alesa Refinery Road, which is 70% completed.
This road is expected to provide easier access to the Port Harcourt Refinery and alleviate traffic congestion on the East-West Road. He expressed optimism that the refinery’s revival would reduce the need for petroleum product importation, boost the economy, increase internally generated revenue, and facilitate more development projects in the state.
During the visit, Governor Fubara assured the committee of the state government’s commitment to ensuring the success of the refinery rehabilitation project, despite any distractions. He urged the committee members to prioritize the interest of the people in their investigations, emphasizing the peaceful and hospitable nature of the state.
In his remarks, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah reiterated the Senate’s commitment to ensuring the effective functioning of Nigeria’s refineries to reduce dependency on imported petroleum products. He stated that the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery was almost 90% complete and expressed confidence that it would be operational before the end of the year.
The announcement comes amidst conflicting dates previously given by the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) regarding the refinery’s commencement of operations.
