The presidency has expressed concern about the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL)’s failure to complete rebuilding the Port Harcourt refinery within the stipulated deadline.
Sources from The Cable reveal that Hadiza Bala Usman, special adviser to President Tinubu on policy and coordination and head of the central results delivery coordination unit (CRDCU), voiced these concerns during a review of the quarterly performance assessment of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
Usman highlighted the government’s anxiety over several unfinished projects by the NNPC, particularly the ongoing delays in completing state-owned refineries, including the Port Harcourt refinery.
Usman pointed out that despite the “mechanical completion” of a section of the refinery on December 21, 2023, and assurances that operations would begin after Christmas, the NNPC postponed the start of operations to April 2024. However, there has yet to be an update on whether production will commence this month, according to the source.
The constant rescheduling of the refinery’s production start date is causing concern among both the government and the public, Usman noted.
“This continued shifting in timelines is eroding the confidence of Nigerians in the government, and as an administration, we cannot allow that,” Usman reportedly stated.