Members of the All Progressives Congress under the aegis of APC Youth Solidarity Network have decried the alleged failure by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL to deliver on the Port Harcourt Refinery project despite a “$2 billion investment”.
President of the group, Olayemi Isaac, who addressed journalists at a press conference on Monday alleged that the refusal to fix the refinery was a plot by some individuals to “sustain fuel subsidies, import blended fuel, and siphon taxpayers’ money”.
The party group also demanded an immediate investigation and probe into the activities of the NNPCL boss, Mele Kyari and other individuals involved in the Port Harcourt Refineries Project management.
The group called on the President Bola Tinubu-led government to restructure the NNPCL and make it more transparent and accountable to ensure consequences for corruption, and an end to fuel subsidies.
“We demand the immediate investigation and probe into the missing $2 billion that was purportedly spent on the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refineries, a project that has failed to come alive.
“Despite multiple attempts, multiple rounds of funding, and numerous promises from officials, the Port Harcourt Refineries remain non-operational. This is not only a failure in leadership, but a deliberate sabotage of the Nigerian economy and the welfare of its citizens.
“To date, Nigeria has four state-owned refineries located in Port Harcourt, Kaduna, and Warri. However, these refineries have been non-functional for years, even though billions of naira have been spent on their maintenance.
“More troubling is the fact that every time we are told that the refineries will be repaired and functional, they fail to come to life.
“The Port Harcourt Refineries alone have been announced to undergo rehabilitation several times, but they remain in a state of dormancy”, Olayemi said.
Despite $2bn investment, Port Harcourt refinery yet to function – APC youths tackle Kyari-Led NNPCL