Editorial By Whirlwindnews
On Tuesday, November 27, President Bola Tinubu, rolled out the drums to lead Nigerians into high-hearted celebration of coming into stream of the Port Harcourt Refinery, in Rivers State. He not only linked the feat to the determination of his government and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to revamp the Nigerian economy, but added that Nigerians should expect more goodies.
For emphasis, the statement by Bayo Onanuga, his spokesman, conveying the President’s high enthusiasm, read: “With the successful revival of the Port Harcourt refinery, President Tinubu urges NNPC Limited to expedite the scheduled reactivation of both the second Port Harcourt refinery and the Warri and Kaduna refineries.
These efforts will significantly enhance domestic production capacity alongside the contributions of privately-owned refineries and make our country a major energy hub, with the gas sector also enjoying unprecedented attention by the administration. The President underscores his administration’s determination to repair the nation’s refineries, aiming to eradicate the disheartening perception of Nigeria as a major crude oil producer that lacks the ability to refine its own resources for domestic consumption.
Highlighting the values of patience, integrity, and accountability in the rebuilding of the nation’s infrastructure, President Tinubu calls upon individuals, institutions, and citizens entrusted with responsibilities to maintain focus and uphold trust in their service to the nation. In alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda focused on shared economic prosperity for all, the President reaffirms his administration’s commitment to achieving energy sufficiency, enhancing energy security, and boosting export capacity for Nigeria.”
For this, Tinubu was full of praises for Muhammadu Buhari, his predecessor – remember he was the one who secured the $1.5billion loan to start the rehabilitation project in 2021 – and Mele Kyari, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (GMD-CEO) of the NNPCL, “whose unwavering dedication and commitment were instrumental in overcoming challenges to achieve this milestone.”
But even as the echoes of Tinubu’s superlative words were still reverberating in the horizon, the huge balloon that carried the message soon went burst, with the information that the entire development was a scam and that Nigerians should not expect any drop of refined product from the facility, because there was none.
For emphasis, the entity was still comatose – dead as dodo, as Nigerians say. This damning revelation came from the community hosting the facility, which claimed that it would have been the first that would roll out the drums to celebrate were the narrative given out by the NNPCL and by extension the government credible, but now felt it a duty to alert Nigerians at the same time that they were being conned – as in swindled – hornswoggled.
Timothy Igbere, Timothy Mgbesa, Secretary of Alesa Community Stakeholders, the River State host of the refinery, in a detailed narrative, painted the ugly picture of the facility to underscore how Nigerians were being taken for a ride, while appearing on The Morning Show, the breakfast programme on Arise News Television on Thursday.
Hear him: “For an agency that is holding the oil industry in trust for Nigeria, they shouldn’t put out some of these information that are not true. What happened on Tuesday is that the NNPCL is under pressure and went out to tell Nigerians that the old refinery has started working. I can tell you that the GMD or the CEO was in Port Harcourt since Monday. The other MDs were also in Port Harcourt.
“The MD of Port Harcourt Refinery and the those heading the operations department, they didn’t sleep throughout Monday because of these whole events they had on Tuesday. What was the true picture? The old refinery is built with its own utilities, different from the new Port Harcourt Refinery. In terms of tank farms, the tank farm of serving the old Port Harcourt Refinery has a different loading gantry at the depot.
“The party that was held on Tuesday, was held at the new loading gantry that is directly connected to the new refinery. How does that work? It is impossible. They went there because the storage facility for the old refinery had some old stock that has been there for over three years. So, what they had, they released that stock, loaded six trucks and then televised it to Nigerians that that is the production from the old Port Harcourt Refinery.
“That is not true. I like Nigerians to know the truth. But they don’t need to believe me, because Nigerians, no matter how you paint the true pictures to them, they get sentimental, they get tribal, they want to whip up sentiments and all that. The product that was loaded – and let me be on record that it was only six trucks and it was not the new refined products from the old refinery.
“Let me shock you, if we’re celebrating that the Port Harcourt Refinery is already functional, how come they loaded only four trucks of the product? The whole day starting from 7am that worked resumed at the old Port Harcourt Refinery, it was only four trucks that were loaded till about 8.35 – only four trucks.
“Yet, they said it was automated. How can you have a truck under a bay for more than six hours under an automated system? Back in the years when we had manual system, it didn’t take more than 45minutes to load one truck. You can ask from any operational staff or any person that has been at the depot area.
“Manual system loads a truck for about 45 minutes. So, fully automated, fully rehabilitated – and then you tell us it’s 70 per cent operational – and then you tell us you’re loading four trucks for a whole day under the loading gantry for more than six to seven hours. Who are we deceiving? I think that’s a clear picture of the whole event at the Port Harcourt depot and by extension, the Port Harcourt Refinery.”
Nick Agule, an energy expert, who also on the same programme, echoed the same mantra, stating: “This refinery NNPC is running is owned by Nigerians. We are the owners of this asset and NNPCL is our servant. They are our workers and they have to report back to us in the most transparent way the situation with this refinery, not only the Port Harcourt refinery, but with the three others. I can say that this is not happening.
“First and foremost, the statement that was issued by the NNPCL announcing the commencement of production at the old refinery, did not carry anything. It was that production had started and that was it. It was when the controversy started to be generated on social media and other platforms that NNPCL issued a second statement and in this statement, they provided more data.
“The point here is why did they not able to mention to us the owners of this refinery. Why did they have to wait for this controversy to be generated before they gave us additional data. So, I will say that as it stands now, Nigerians are right in doubting. Nigerians are correct and I believe we’re being pragmatic if the NNPCL is not coming across to them in the way they desire.”
The NNPCL, has however clapped back. In a quick riposte, Olufemi Soneye, dismissed the Igbere as grossly ignorant, insisting that production at the facility was almost at full capacity, though he fell short of telling Nigerians why the company stated that 200 trucks carrying products were loaded from there while the number as actually less than 10.
Hear Soneye, Chief Communications Officer: “He (Mgbere) claimed that the old Port Harcourt Refinery was only operating skeletally and was not processing PMS. His proof was that the PMS truck-out was done at the gantry of the new Port Harcourt Refinery as against the gantry of the old Port Harcourt Refinery.
“This betrays his scant knowledge of the operations of the refinery. The old and new Port Harcourt Refineries have since been integrated with one single terminal for product load-out.
“They share common utilities like power and storage tanks. This means that storage tanks and loading gantry which he claimed belongs to the new Port-Harcourt Refinery can also receive products from the Old Port Harcourt Refinery.”
Now, the latest indication, suggest that the community was actually right. Not only that there are no 200 trucks being loaded, the loading bay at the refinery is actually empty, but the entire complex is said to be without much life.
The PUNCH, which took a tour of the facility, returned with a verdict of inactivity, with the only explanation being that water was being drained from the storage tanks of the refinery so that new products would be pumped into them by the time full operation resumed.
It is up to Nigerians to choose what to believe. But for us at the Whirlwindnews.com.ng, the position of the NNPCL requires more than a axiomatic pinch of salt to accept, while that of the Alasa people seems too irresistible and seducing to ignore. We will be profusely glad if we are proved wrong. But for now, there is no reason not to reject the former as a cock and bull story.
Why do we adopt this attitude? Right from the outset, the APC has proven strong deficiency in credibility and truth-telling, but maintains optimal capacity and tendency for deceit and lying to the people. Pray! What has the APC touched in Nigeria that they have not destroyed. What promise have they kept?
Take the instant case. On countless occasions they had claimed that the same Port Harcourt Refinery had been fixed, starting from the days of Ibe Kachukwu as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources under Buhari.
Remember the days of Buhari’s Body Language (BBL), when the world was told that fuel would start gushing out from the facility in a matter of days by just the President directing his gaze towards Port Harcourt. Morning came and evening came and the magic did not happen.
Even since Tinubu took over, some 18 months ago, the commencement of production at the facility has been promised and postponed more than five times. Why should we believe now that Nigerians are not being scammed as the Alasa community is alleging?
From the wacky story so far, a day might come when officials could store imported petrol in the tank farms at night and discharge same during the day as fuel from the facility. We can no longer put anything beyond these people.
What we do not know is whether Tinubu is aware of what is going on under his nose. But it would be tragic whether he knows and allows the scam to continue in order to cover up the complete disaster the APC has turned out. It would also be a greater tragedy if he does not! Terribly so!
