Six months after the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited promised to unveil the new 210,000 barrels per day at Port Harcourt refinery.

The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria has asked the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to give it a timeline for the completion of the new 210,000 barrels per day Port Harcourt refinery.

The demand comes six months after NNPC promised to unveil the new 210,000 bpd plant. PETROAN said in a statement issued on Monday that it was compelled to express deep concern over the persistent delays in the completion of the ongoing rehabilitation of the facility.

PETROAN is known for supporting NNPC and its activities under the oil firm’s former leadership. The PUNCH recalls that after the launch of the old 60,000 bpd Port Harcourt refinery in November, NNPC spokesman, Olufemi Soneye, stated that the company had made substantial progress on the new 210,000 bpd Port Harcourt refinery, which he said would begin operations “soon” without prior announcements.

Six months later, the NNPC has yet to make a further announcement about the progress of the said facility.

In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Joseph Obele, PETROAN alleged that “despite numerous assurances from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and its officials, the project has suffered repeated setbacks, with completion deadlines being missed multiple times.”

The association added that though it applauded the completion of the old refinery, the second one must be completed urgently.

“While we acknowledged and applauded the commencement of the old Port Harcourt refinery with the capacity of 60,000 barrels per day, we cannot stress enough the urgent need for commissioning, transparency, and accountability of the second Port Harcourt refinery with the capacity of 210,000 barrels per day.

“PETROAN therefore demands that the NNPC provide a specific and realistic timeline for the completion and commissioning of the second Port Harcourt refinery rehabilitation project,” the statement read partly.

The retailers stressed that Nigerians and stakeholders want to know the exact date of delivery of the revamped project.

“The Nigerian people deserve clarity on when they can expect the second refinery to commence operations and contribute to alleviating the nation’s fuel scarcity challenges. Furthermore, we call on the relevant authorities to ensure that the NNPC adheres strictly to the contract timeline, once provided, and maintains regular communication with stakeholders on the project’s progress.

“Given the worrisome nature of these delays and their far-reaching implications for the nation’s economy and welfare, PETROAN calls on President Bola Tinubu to intervene by setting up a high-level facilitating panel. This panel should comprise relevant stakeholders, including representatives from PETROAN, NMDPRA, NUPENG, PENGASSAN, MEMA, DAPPMAN, NNPC, and other industry experts, to identify bottlenecks, provide solutions, and ensure the project’s timely completion,” the association demanded.

The statement quoted The National President of PETROAN, Billy Gillis-Harry, as stating that the commencement of operations at the 210,000 barrels capacity refinery at Alesa Eleme will improve Nigeria’s petroleum sufficiency and impact price stability.

He lamented that the project is running beyond schedule. “The continuous delay in the completion of the Port Harcourt refinery rehabilitation project is unacceptable, and Nigerians deserve to know when the project will be completed. The huge amount borrowed for the project should be a serious concern to all citizens, and we will demand accountability for every naira spent on this project,” Gillis-Harry was quoted.

He added that the current vacancy in the office of the Managing Director of the Port Harcourt refinery could be a significant barrier to the project’s progress.

“We strongly recommend that the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC appoint a substantive Managing Director for the Port Harcourt refinery in the shortest possible time. This appointment would provide the necessary leadership and direction to drive the project forward and ensure its timely completion.

“The prolonged delay in the refinery’s completion not only undermines the nation’s efforts to achieve self-sufficiency in petroleum products but also exacerbates the economic hardship faced by millions of Nigerians. It is imperative that decisive action is taken to bring this project to fruition without further delay,” he added.

NNPC spokesperson, Soneye, has yet to reply to messages sent to him by our correspondent on the matter.