2 hours ago
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ABUJA – The Energy Reforms Advocates (ERA) and the APC Youth Vanguard for Change (APC-YVC) have written a letter to President Bola Tinubu, demanding urgent steps be taken to fix the country’s moribund refineries.
In the letter, the groups lamented the continuous state of decay within Nigeria’s petroleum sector as a reflection of a persistent systemic failure.
The letter, signed by ERA Convener, Opialu Fabian and APC-YVC Convener, Ezewanka Ugochukwu, called on Tinubu to investigate the persistent failures of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Ltd (NNPCL) to restore the Port Harcourt and other local refineries.
The groups expressed concern over the $2.9 billion approved in 2021, for the rehabilitation of the refineries, which remain non-functional despite NNPCL’s assurances.
They criticized NNPCL’s repeated promises and prolonged inaction, citing systemic failure and corruption within the leadership.
Among many other things, they demanded that the probe should reveal the truth behind the persistent failures and alleged financial improprieties.
The groups proposed immediate actions, including revamping the regulatory framework, reactivating local refineries, transparency in subsidy implementation, strengthening NNPCL’s leadership, and empowering the public with information.
The letter partly reads: “Your Excellency, we are witnessing a dire situation. Despite the approval of $2.9 billion in 2021 for the rehabilitation of these vital refineries, they remain non-functional. NNPCL has repeatedly assured Nigerians that these facilities would soon become operational, yet these assurances have failed to translate into reality.
“The refineries stand dormant, while Nigeria, an oil giant and Africa’s largest oil producer, finds itself dependent on foreign countries to meet its domestic fuel needs.
“The consistent promises and prolonged inaction serve not only as a betrayal of trust but as a profound reflection of a systemic failure within the leadership of the NNPCL.
“It is unacceptable that as one of the top oil-producing nations in the world, Nigeria is forced into a position where it has no choice but to rely on imported petroleum products to meet domestic demand.
“This prolonged reliance on imports has placed a significant strain on the nation’s foreign reserves, while a small, corrupt few reap immense profits.
“The corruption within this system is so deep-seated that these vested interests seem to actively oppose any attempt to rehabilitate our refineries.
“The time has come for systemic reform. The root causes of these challenges are multi-faceted, encompassing institutional corruption, regulatory weaknesses, and a pervasive culture of unaccountability. We propose the following actions as immediate steps toward a lasting solution:
“Full investigation and accountability; revamp of the regulatory framework, immediate efforts to reactivate local refineries’ transparency in subsidy implementation, strengthening NNPCL’s leadership and oversight and empowering the public with information and action.
”Mr. President, as Nigeria seeks to redefine its path towards sustainable economic growth, self-sufficiency, and a better future for its citizens, there can be no compromise on energy security.
“As it stands, the actions and inactions of NNPCL and its leadership are actively undermining our national interests” the groups stated.
Therefore, they implored Tinubu to take swift and decisive action to address these longstanding failures.”
