PORT HARCOURT REFINERY - A POT THAT PROMISES TO BOIL THAT NEVER COOKS THE MEAL
Ezenwa Opara
CIPR UK- Accredited PR Practitioner: Media Professional & Strategic Communication Maven: Committed To Professional Excellence & Continuous Growth.
This proverb reflects the frustration and skepticism surrounding the repeated yet unfulfilled promises by the Federal Government of Nigeria regarding the full operationalization of the Port Harcourt Refinery. It encapsulates the disappointment felt by many Nigerians who have been waiting for tangible results amid constant assurances.
The Journey toward full operations of the Port Harcourt Refinery reminds me of an age-long proverb- ‘’When promises flow like water, the thirst for action remains unquenched." Nigerians have lost count of the number of times the announcement of the full operations of the PH Refinery has been made by either the Federal Government of Nigeria or its agencies in the oil sector.
A Cursory Look At The Timeline Of Federal Government Announcements:
Over the years, the Federal Government of Nigeria has made several announcements regarding the commencement of full operations at the Port Harcourt (PH) refinery. Here are some notable instances:
MARCH 2021: The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) announced plans to rehabilitate the Port Harcourt refinery with an expected completion and resumption of operations in 2023
APRIL 2021: NNPC confirmed the commencement of the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery, reiterating the aim to complete the project within 18 to 24 months.
MARCH 2022: The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, mentioned that the rehabilitation was progressing well and reiterated the plan to have the refinery operational by 2023
SEPTEMBER 2022: The NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, stated that the first phase of the rehabilitation would be completed by the end of 2022, with full operations expected to follow shortly thereafter
MARCH 2023: NNPC again assured the public that the Port Harcourt refinery would resume operations by the end of 2023
DECEMBER 15, 2023: Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), stated that 84.4% of the Area-5 Plant and 77.4% of the entire rehabilitation project had been completed, with expectations to complete the second phase by the end of 2024 (Punch Newspapers)
DECEMBER 20, 2023: The Federal Government confirmed that the Port Harcourt Refining and Petrochemical Company had commenced operations, with refined petroleum products expected to start flowing after the Christmas break (Vanguardngr).
THROUGHOUT 2023: Various government officials repeatedly stated that the refinery would begin operations before the end of the year. These statements included inspections and optimistic projections about the facility's readiness and the impact on fuel prices (Punch Newspapers)
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The timeline for the full operationalization of the PH refinery has seen multiple announcements and projected dates, reflecting ongoing efforts and challenges in achieving this goal (Punch Newspapers).
AGAIN, JULY 15, 2024:–? THE Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari has declared that the Port Harcourt refinery will begin to deliver refined petroleum products in August while that of Kaduna and Warri will commence by December, just as he insisted that they were not lying to the nation.
Kyari spoke yesterday in Abuja when he appeared before Senator Sani Musa, APC, Niger East led National Assembly joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Finance during an emergency session on the state of the economy, assured that by the end of the year, Nigeria will be a net exporter of petroleum products. {Vanguard Newspapers}
These repeated announcements about the full operationalization of the PH Refinery remind me of 'Waiting for Godot,' an absurdist two-act play by Samuel Beckett. Originally written in French as 'En attendant Godot,' it was published in 1952 and premiered in 1953 in Paris. The play features two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, who endlessly wait for a man named Godot.
The play explores the theme of the purposelessness of life, as the protagonists spend all their time anticipating Godot, who never arrives. This highlights the futility of their efforts and the realization that their supposed purpose may never be fulfilled
Ezenwa Opara
Writes From Lagos, Nigeria
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CEO & President at Gale Energy LLC
4 个月Thank you for sharing