REFINERIES: NUPENG demands results over FG, China partnership
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has called on the Federal Government (FG) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to ensure that the newly signed partnership with Chinese firms for the rehabilitation of the Warri and Port Harcourt petrol refineries delivers concrete results, saying Nigerians are tired of repeated promises without visible progress.
The President of NUPENG, Salmon Oladiti, made the call while reacting to the agreement aimed at reviving the nation’s struggling refineries, describing the initiative as a critical step toward repositioning Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
Oladiti commended FG on the partnership, noting that the continued failure of local refineries have inflicted severe economic hardship on Nigerians despite the country’s position as one of Africa’s leading crude oil producers.
According to him, the failure of the refining sector over the years has contributed significantly to rising fuel prices, pressure on foreign exchange, inflation, unemployment, and the nation’s overdependence on imported petroleum products.
He lamented that Nigerian workers and ordinary citizens have continued to bear the burden of unstable fuel supply, soaring transportation costs, and worsening living conditions caused by the country’s inability to sustain local refining capacity.
Oladiti said the agreement with the Chinese firms offers an opportunity to restore public confidence in Nigeria’s refining industry, create employment opportunities, stimulate industrial growth, strengthen energy security, and reduce the economic pressure associated with fuel importation.
He warned, however, that Nigerians would no longer tolerate another round of failed refinery rehabilitation projects after huge public funds had been spent previously without meaningful results.
“Nigerians are tired of repeated refinery rehabilitation promises and projects that consumed huge public resources without delivering lasting results,” Oladiti stated.
He therefore urged all stakeholders involved in the agreement to ensure transparency, accountability, professionalism, and timely execution of the refinery rehabilitation projects.
The Warri and Port Harcourt refineries have remained largely inactive for years despite several turnaround maintenance efforts.
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