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ABUJA – Nigerians in Diaspora Movement
(NDM) says it is in the best interest of Nigerians for Warri and Portharcourt refineries to become functional.
NDM’s global president, Dr. Donald Illiya in a statement Monday from London, United Kingdom (UK) expressed optimism that the pump price of a liter of fuel now hovering around N1000 would drop significantly if the production level of the refineries are restored.
NDM noted that it is perplexed with what it termed “the choreographed performance” between the NNPCL and Dangote Petrochemicals Refinery, allegedly meant to compel Nigerians to pay more than reasonable pump prices for refined petroleum products.
NDM insist that Nigeria’s fate is tied to the state of government-owned Portharcourt and Warri refineries, which must be made functional to cause a consequential drop in the prices of fuel and a positive knock-off effect on the cost of living.
NDM, while asserting high level of corruption in the energy sector, said, despite spending over N17 trillion to rehabilitate the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries from 2002 to 2022, and still spending more, even under the present regime of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the local refineries have remained comatose.
NDM urged President Bola Tinubu to take decisive steps to purge the rot in NNPCL so that domestic refineries can resume production and ward off the dangers of succumbing to a monopoly, which also presents a single point of failure for the nation’s fuel supply.
Lamenting the situation, NDM noted: “The only output Nigerians have had from this huge expenditure are the ever-changing delivery dates for the refineries to resume operation. In November 2023 a December 2023 target date was announced for Port Harcourt Refinery, and by December of that year, March 2024 was announced as a new date only for this to be altered at least three other times.
“The completion of repairs on Kaduna Refinery was set for the first quarter of 2024, but the refinery has only produced stories on why it is being delayed. Warri Refinery has not fared any better, as a similar first quarter of 2024 target date for commencement of operations, as announced by Mele Kyari, turned out to be folklore.
“They are of the opinion that, “It is consequently plausible that the failure to make these refineries functional is beyond incompetence and the theft of the funds meant for repairing them. It is now glaring that the refineries are being kept moribund to create a favourable condition for the emergence of a monopoly.
“This is a tragic turn of events at a time when jurisdictions worldwide are taking bold steps to prevent predatory and monopolistic tendencies to protect citizens and businesses.”
