The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has urged the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) to adhere to the scheduled 30-day repair timeline for the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC).
This call followed the announcement by the NNPC via its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, that the facility will undergo a planned maintenance shutdown.
Soneye, in the statement, disclosed that the scheduled maintenance and sustainability assessment will commence on May 24, 2025.
He stated that the company was “working closely with all relevant stakeholders, including the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), to ensure that the maintenance and assessment activities are carried out efficiently and transparently”.
Expressing concerns over the shutdown of the Old Port Harcourt Refinery, PETROAN’s National President, Billy Gillis-Harry, said the refinery’s shutdown for maintenance is expected, but the association wants the NNPC to adhere to the repair timeline to minimise disruptions to petroleum product supply.
PETROAN expressed the fear that the 30-day schedule might not be realistic due to usual bottlenecks, potentially leading to further delays and exacerbating supply challenges.
The association further expressed worries that delays in the old refinery’s 30-day rehabilitation schedule may worsen economic hardship for millions of Nigerians.
It, however, emphasised that the repair process must include the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) blending unit, as the crude oil cracking process is of no value without it.
The group also demanded “that NNPC completes the repair before existing stocks run dry to prevent market monopoly and ensure a stable supply of petroleum products”.
It noted that completing the repair on time will help maintain competition in the market, benefiting consumers and the economy.
PETROAN further recommended that the Minister of Petroleum should set up a task force comprising all petroleum industry stakeholders to monitor the 30-day repairs and to brief Nigerians on the job progress every weekend to ensure transparency and accountability in achieving the repair schedule.
The petrol retailers added that payments to contractors handling the repairs be made promptly to avoid delays and ensure the project stays on track.
Meanwhile, an internal memo circulated in the refinery on the Area 5 plant shutdown, yesterday, warned staff not to interact with external people or give information to the media.
The letter also stated that as government workers, it is against the Labour Law to engage pressmen in interviews, adding that any defaulter will be severely disciplined.
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