Controversy trails return of Nigeria’s four refineries

Following the announcement that the four refineries across the country have commenced operations, concerned Nigerians and stakeholders in the oil and gas sector have challenged the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to come out clean about the true status of the refineries. According to them the corporation’s claim should be backed with data and accessible information of depots that now receives the product.

Prior to the sack, Mr. Joseph Dawha, former Group Managing Director of the Corporation, had in a statement, disclosed that the corporation is carrying out a phased implementation of the rehabilitation of the refineries. According to him, the conscious decision was taken to try and fix it, so that by the time it starts processing the crude, then we get real value for the crude we have sent to the refineries.

Corroborating several claims by NNPC scribes, that the refineries are back to full production, the Chairman of the Chrome Group, Emeka Offor told newsmen at the weekend that since 2000 when Chrome Consortium successfully completed the Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) of Port Harcourt Refinery, his company had remained in the refinery to provide massive maintenance services because of the satisfactory completion of the TAM.

Offor stated that his company was the lead partner in the consortium that carried out the turn-around maintenance, which was certified by Shell Manufacturing Services, an international company that supervises TAM in refineries.

He also stated that as a life-running plant, the refinery is supposed to have TAM every two years but noted that no TAM has been carried out since 2000.

Offor further said his company had also done some intervention jobs in Kaduna Refinery, adding that the major Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit (FCCU) heater in Kaduna refinery was rehabilitated by Chrome Oil on time and on schedule.

However in an interview with Premium Times, former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, described as untrue the statement by NNPC that the refineries are back, according to him the present state of the refineries cannot produce to full capacity.

He also said that the three nation refineries are scraps that cannot meet the needs of the country, noting that the capacity of the refineries was way too low for what obtained globally.

Reacting on the claim by Mr. Emeka Offor, the Chairman of the Chrome Group, that his company had successfully completed the Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) of Port Harcourt Refinery, since 2000, the former president said that he inherited refineries that were not working, according to him, the refineries were given to an amateur (Chrome Group) for repairs and turn around maintenance.

He queried, ”Where has Emeka Offor maintained refineries before? Where has he been? That’s what we met.

He however maintained that there is no way the refineries can meet domestic need.

Mr. Godspower Igwe, who is the Coordinator, Coalition of the South-South and South-East Youths, Nigerians must query the claim by NNPC that the refineries are back.

 He alleged that the former NNPC GMD refused to disclose the real state of the refineries and why for about two decades now could not process crude. According to him, Nigerians demand explanation on why they go through these harrowing experiences.