Port Harcourt Refinery At 80% Completion – Minister Announces, Gives Further Details
The Port Harcourt Refinery, as stated by the Federal Government, is nearing 80% completion and is expected to yield two million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) and 2.2 million litres of diesel daily once operations resume.
The Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Olajide Oshundun, confirmed this in a statement released on Thursday, disclosing that the existing refinery section will have a daily output of 54,000 barrels, while the new section, currently in its final stages of construction, is set to commence production before the year ends.
Minister of State Nkeiruka Onyejeocha confirmed these details following an inspection of the facility in the company of organized labour representatives, highlighting that the combined output of both sections will reach 10 million litres of PMS daily. During the visit to the Port Harcourt refinery, the minister emphasized the collaborative efforts between organized labour and the government, affirming the refinery’s completion status.
She elaborated that the former facility would commence operations with 54,000 barrels per day, resulting in two million litres of PMS and 2.2 million litres of diesel daily.
Meanwhile, the new facility, currently in its final phase of construction, is expected to start production before the year ends. Once both plants are fully operational, they will have a combined capacity to produce 10 million litres of PMS daily.
Onyejeocha emphasized that the government is willing to engage in discussions with organized labour and other relevant parties to promote peace and cooperation within the industry. She urged union leaders to view strike actions as a last resort, as they may deter potential investors.
“Issuing of constant strike threat could send wrong signals to potential investors. This is not healthy for our business environment,” she said
The announcement further mentioned that the Federal Government and the Trade Union Congress leadership convened to assess the advancements made on the agreements reached in October 2023 between the government and organized labour.
The statement reads further: “During the review, the minister read each item on the memorandum of understanding, among which were the payment of four out of six months on wage award, the committee of minimum wage review, payment of outstanding salaries and wages of tertiary education workers in federal- owned educational institutions, suspension of VAT on diesel, payment of N25,000 conditional cash transfer to 3,140,819 households, including the pensioners.
“While she said the government has made a huge financial commitment to the provision of CNG Buses and conversion Kits, she also explained that the procurement process was slowing down the launch, but measures were already in place to fast-track the process.
“The minister explained that the government has commenced a series of engagements with relevant stakeholders on tax incentives, just as the leadership crises rocking NURTW and RTEAN have been resolved.
“Among the progress made are subsidised distribution of fertilisers to farmers across the country, the government’s engagement with various state governments and the private sector on the issue of the implementation of wage awards for their workers, and plans to encourage MSEs in the country to create jobs and boost the economy”, the statement read.
