Host communities in Okrika and Eleme Local Government Areas of Rivers State have expressed alarm over the recent shutdown of the Port Harcourt Refinery by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), cautioning that the move could result in another round of fuel price increases across the country.
At a media briefing held in Port Harcourt, the communities, under the aegis of the HOSCOM Bulk Petroleum Retailers of the Port Harcourt Refinery, urged NNPCL to stick to the 30-day timeframe it announced for maintenance activities.
They questioned the logic behind halting operations at a facility that has not yet run at full capacity since its restart less than a year ago.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the group, Sunny Nkpe, criticised the decision and appealed to the Federal Government to appoint technically proficient personnel to oversee the refinery, ensuring that the ongoing rehabilitation is delivered promptly.
“This refinery only began operations around October last year. Now they’re shutting it down again, and we are not convinced that any genuine repairs are underway. Our concern is that this might go the way of the Warri and other refineries that never returned to full operation,” Nkpe said.
“We are insisting that the 30-day shutdown must be honoured.”
Nkpe also urged the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Bayo Ojulari, to quickly appoint a new Managing Director for the refinery to facilitate an efficient and timely upgrade process.
Despite the group’s misgivings, Nkpe expressed optimism about the capacity of the contractor handling the turnaround maintenance and called on the government to ensure consistent funding for the project.
Administrative Chairman of HOSCOM and Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Rivers State Unit, Tekena Ikpaki, cautioned that an extended shutdown could lead to artificial scarcity, particularly in states dependent on the Port Harcourt Refinery for their fuel supply.
“There is still some product in the refinery’s storage tanks, but once that is depleted, what happens next? A phased maintenance strategy would be more appropriate than a total shutdown, to prevent supply interruptions and panic buying,” Ikpaki stated.
Echoing this concern, BOT Secretary and Eastern Zonal Secretary of IPMAN, Inimgba Emmanuel, warned that another closure could spark a fresh rise in fuel prices.
“When this refinery was out of action, petrol sold for around ₦1,200 per litre. As soon as it resumed operations, prices began to decline. If it goes offline again, we may witness another spike that will burden both marketers and ordinary Nigerians,” Emmanuel said.
Joseph Obele, the Administrative Secretary of the group, raised suspicions that the shutdown might be a calculated move to create a monopoly favouring a private refinery.
“If monopoly dominates the sector, Nigerians will be compelled to pay exorbitant prices for fuel,” Obele remarked, pointing out that when a certain private refinery commenced operations last year, petrol prices climbed above ₦1,300 per litre. “But once Port Harcourt restarted, prices came down to between ₦800 and ₦900.”
The group urged the Federal Government to act swiftly to restore operations at the Port Harcourt Refinery, ensure transparency throughout the process, and shield citizens from further economic difficulties.
