{"id":113741,"date":"2024-08-08T21:20:16","date_gmt":"2024-08-08T20:20:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=113741"},"modified":"2024-08-08T21:20:16","modified_gmt":"2024-08-08T20:20:16","slug":"senate-raises-questions-over-1-5bn-expended-on-port-harcourt-refinery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/senate-raises-questions-over-1-5bn-expended-on-port-harcourt-refinery\/","title":{"rendered":"Senate raises questions over $1.5bn expended on Port Harcourt Refinery"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Amid pervasive allegations of sabotage in the petroleum industry, the Senate has raised questions over $1.5 billion approved in 2021 for the turn-around maintenance of the Port Harcourt Refinery with little or no result.<\/div>\n
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\nConsequently, the upper chamber lamented that it was unfair and wrong to treat government businesses or public companies as an orphan while private businesses were flourishing and thriving.<\/p>\n

The Leader of the Senate and Chairman, Senate Ad-hoc Committee to Investigate the alleged economic sabotage in the Nigerian Petroleum Industry, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele raised the questions at a session with stakeholders in the industry at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.<\/p>\n

The session was attended by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun; Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), Malam Melee Kyari; Chief Executive, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mr. Gbenga Komolafe and Chief Executive Office, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Mr. Farouk Ahmed, among others.<\/p>\n

The Federal Executive Council had approved the plan by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to rehabilitate and turn around the Port Harcourt Refinery with a whopping sum of $1.5 billion under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.<\/p>\n

Despite the huge investment, the government-owned refinery is yet to function effectively, a situation that compelled the country to depend almost entirely on the importation of petroleum products.<\/p><\/div>\n

\nAt the session with stakeholders, however, Bamidele expressed grave concerns about the dysfunctionality of the government-owned refineries despite billions of Dollars invested to carry out turn-around maintenance on the installation.<\/p>\n

Bamidele observed that the federation \u201cis undergoing a truly challenging period,\u201d pointing out that the distribution and supply of refined petroleum products \u201chas been irregular and problematic in the recent history of our fatherland.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe long queues at filling stations are obviously a testament to this challenge. A situation, whereby we now depend almost entirely on the importation of these products, even when we daily supply the global oil market no fewer than two percent of its crude oil requirements, is to say the least, highly worrisome.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also have at hand a grievous issue of national concern that directly borders on the importation of hazardous petroleum products and dumping of substandard diesel into the country,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Under different administrations since 1999, Bamidele observed that the federal government \u201chas invested billions of Dollars to maintain and turn around the state-owned refineries in Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Warri. But the refineries are not functioning.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 2021, specifically, the Federal Executive Council approved $1.5 billion for the turn-around maintenance of the Port Harcourt Refinery. Yet, this investment has not yielded significant returns.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor us, in the Senate, we believe, it is unfair and unpatriotic to treat government businesses or public corporations as an orphan while private businesses are flourishing and thriving,\u201d Bamidele pointed out at the interactive session,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

To permanently nip these challenges in the bud, the chairman of the ad-hoc committee disclosed the plan of the Senate to jointly conduct investigation into diverse allegations of economic sabotage in the petroleum industry along with the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n

Bamidele, equally noted that there would be no room for grandstanding during the investigative hearing, promising that the committee would carry out its mandate fairly and impartially.<\/p>\n

While insisting that nobody will be untouchable, he said the task of ridding the petroleum industry of malfeasance \u201cis urgent and must be carried out in the spirit of nationalism and patriotism. We are ready to carry it out with all senses of honour and responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are also taking it seriously with a view to addressing fundamental issues that pose grave threats to our economic prosperity, fiscal stability and public health as a federation. In line with our mandate, we will definitely unravel factors and forces aiding sabotage in our petroleum industry.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom our findings, we will craft a legislative framework that will entrench global best practices in the industry; open it up for more investments, especially in the midstream and downstream sectors and end vicious regimes of subterfuge in the petroleum industry.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are utterly committed to this mandate. We shall carry it out without fear or favour. We shall be equitable, fair and just to all parties with a view to promoting and protecting the strategic national interests of our fatherland,\u201d Bamidele said.<\/p>\n

He, therefore, promised that the National Assembly \u201cis ready to carry out the investigative hearing with all senses of honor and responsibility,\u201d citing impeccable professional backgrounds of the members of the committee.<\/p>\n

Also, at the session, Kyari declared that the NNPCL \u201cis loyal and faithful to the country,\u201d saying its management vowed to protect the interest of Nigeria in the petroleum industry.<\/p>\n

He observed that most problems in the petroleum industry \u201chave nothing to do with NNPCL. We are faithful and loyal to the economic interest of this country.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are not criminals. We are not thieves. But we will protect our dignity and honour.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his own remarks, Edun said the increase in the crude would stabilise the country\u2019s foreign exchange market while expressing confidence in the leadership of the ad-hoc committee to conduct an unbiased and impartial investigation.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Amid pervasive allegations of sabotage in the petroleum industry, the Senate has raised questions over $1.5 billion approved in 2021 for the turn-around maintenance of the Port Harcourt Refinery with…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":73,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-113741","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nSenate raises questions over $1.5bn expended on Port Harcourt Refinery - Pointblank News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/senate-raises-questions-over-1-5bn-expended-on-port-harcourt-refinery\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Senate raises questions over $1.5bn expended on Port Harcourt Refinery - 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