The Coalition of Niger Delta Youth on Energy Reforms and Transparency in the Oil and Gas Sector has called on Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), to honor his commitment to making the Port Harcourt Refinery operational by the end of September.
Pulse Nigeria reported that the NNPC had previously promised that the refinery would be ready by the end of March. Kyari stated, “In the next two weeks, production will start. We have completed the mechanical work at Port Harcourt, which we announced in December 2023. Now we need to test if this completion is satisfactory.”
Despite multiple delays in starting the refinery, the NNPC announced in September that it was $6 billion in debt.
Represented by Barristers Dickens A. Opu and Werigbelegha Zinake, the Niger Delta coalition criticized the extended inactivity of the Port Harcourt refinery, highlighting that billions of naira have been allocated for its rehabilitation. They emphasized that the country’s dependence on imported petroleum products has exacerbated the energy crisis, leading to higher fuel prices for Niger Delta residents compared to other regions.
“It is indeed a shame that an oil-producing country like ours is experiencing an energy crisis due to non-functional refineries,” the lawyers expressed. They also raised alarms about the potential conversion of the refinery into a blending plant for substandard petroleum products from Russia, warning of severe environmental consequences for the Niger Delta.
The coalition urged Kyari to fulfill his promise, citing the adverse socioeconomic impact of continued delays. They lamented, “The people of the Niger Delta are enduring immense hardship, paying more for petroleum products while facing environmental pollution.”
They demanded immediate government intervention to ensure the refinery operates fully and called for transparency in the oil and gas sector. “The time to act is now, and we trust the authorities will act in the best interest of the Niger Delta people and the country at large,” the statement concluded.