Oghenetejiri Ruona, Warri
A coalition of Niger Delta Oil-Producing Ethnic nationalities has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to swiftly revive the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries just as they insisted that this action is essential for the economic well-being of the region.
More than 300 members of the coalition gathered at the NNPCL Zonal Office in Warri, Delta State, that houses Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) on Friday to protest the neglect of the refineries by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Comr. Emmanuel F. Pathfinder, President and National Coordinator of the coalition led the protest, they called on President Tinubu to support local refineries, including the Dangote Refinery to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on fuel imports.
In a protest letter, the group called on President Tinubu to implement the National Executive Council’s (NEC) resolution for NNPCL to sell crude oil to Dangote Refinery in naira to help lower fuel prices for Nigerians.
According to the group, “”we are calling on President Tinubu to overhaul NNPCL and remove corrupt officials who are colluding with oil cabals to keep our refineries down.
“This protest is our way of expressing discontent over the abandonment of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries. NNPCL’s involvement with certain oil cabals, who profit billions from fuel importation, must stop.”
The group further alleged that an oil cabal is working to obstruct efforts to end fuel importation, claiming these actions continue under the supervision of NNPCL’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari.
“It’s troubling that Kyari has failed to reactivate Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, while seemingly supporting the interests of import-dependent cabals. We commend Alhaji Aliko Dangote recent efforts with a 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Lagos.”
The coalition expressed concerns that ongoing fuel import reliance is eroding investor confidence and denying jobs to young Nigerians.
“Reviving local refineries will boost job creation, stabilize the economy, and encourage investment in our refining sector. It’s disturbing how much has been spent on refinery maintenance without results,” the group noted.
The coalition cited reports of over N11.3 trillion spent by NNPCL between 2010 and 2018 on failed refinery maintenance and a $1.5 billion loan for Port Harcourt’s rehabilitation in 2021 that has yet to yield results.
The group then issued a 21-day ultimatum to demand that President Tinubu sack Mele Kyari, citing alleged incompetence and mismanagement.
