By Owen Akenzua, Asaba and Mariyah Adamu, Abuja
Few weeks after Port Harcourt Refinery restarted operation the Warri Refining and Petrochemicals Company, WRPC, Delta State has also restarted operation as the year ends.
Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, Mele Kyari, made this known during a tour of the 125, 000 barrels per day refinery, yesterday.
Addressing officials before the tour of the facility began, Kyari said: “We are taking you through our plant. This plant is running. Although it is not 100% complete, we are still in the process.
“Many people think these things are not real. They think real things are not possible in this country. We want you to see that this is real”.
Responding, President Bola Tinubu expressed joy over the re-opening of WRPC by the NNPCL after a long period of time.
In a statement by his spokesman, Mr Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu described the development as another remarkable achievement in 2024 that had strengthened Nigerians’ hope in his administration.
“Today, the Warri Refinery returned to operation weeks after the NNPC Ltd. restarted the 60,000 Barrels per day at the Port Harcourt Refinery in November.
“President Tinubu has once again expressed his administration’s determination to ramp up local refining capacity and make Nigeria a hub for downstream industrial activities in Africa”, he said.
He recalled that the All Progressives Congress-led administration of President Muhammadu Buhari had awarded the contract for the complete rehabilitation and overhaul of the four state-owned refineries.
Tinubu, pointed out that with the 125,000 ,bpd, Warri Refinery now operating at 60% capacity, his administration’s comprehensive plan to ensure energy efficiency and security was on course.
In this vein, he praised the Mele Kyari-led management of the NNPCL for working hard to restore Nigeria’s glory and pride as a major oil-producing country.
“The restart of Warri Refinery today brings joy and gladness to me and Nigerians. This will further strengthen the hope and confidence of Nigerians for a greater and better future that we promised.
“This development is a remarkable way to end the year following the feat recorded earlier with the old Port Harcourt Refinery.
“I am equally happy that NNPCL is implementing my directives to restore all four refineries to good working condition.
“I congratulate Mele Kyari and his team at the NNPCL for working hard to restore our national pride and make Nigeria a hub for crude oil refining in Africa”, President Tinubu said.
He enjoined the NNPCL to accelerate repair work on Kaduna Refinery and the 150,000 ,bpd, second refinery in Port Harcourt to consolidate Nigeria’s position as a global energy provider.
“WRPC will focus on producing and storing critical products, including Straight Run Kerosene, Automotive Gas Oil, and heavy and light Naphtha”, he said.
AljazirahNigeria recalls that over a decade, a once known Oil giant no longer boast of refining a barrel of crude but toed a negative line of importing finished Petroleum products, which drastically affected the economy and socio-political lives of ordinary Nigerians.
Speaking to a host community youth member, on the side line of the facility tour , though , he pleaded for anonymity because he wasn’t permitted the host community youth association to speak, he said,” this administration started by introducing policies that are anti-people and millions of Nigerians are angry over a state of hopelessness owing to hunger and high cost of living, seeing what happened here today and that of Old Port Harcourt Refinery in November, things will begin to be better little by little “. Toeing the same path, AljazirahNigeria Business Editor, Cyril Ogah agreed that once we got one of the energy needs right, we can get others right”.
