Uche Cecil Izuora
The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has expressed concerns over the recent shutdown of the Old Port Harcourt Refinery.
The Association expressed fears that the 30-day schedule might not be realistic due to usual bottlenecks, potentially leading to further delays and exacerbating supply challenges.
The marketers is also worried that delays in the old refinery’s 30-day rehabilitation schedule may worsen economic hardship for millions of Nigerians and it will have a negative effect on the business of PETROAN members who bought millions of litres of petroleum products from NNPC refinery depot resulting to loss of capital.
According to PETROAN’s National President, Billy Gillis-Harry, the refinery’s shutdown for maintenance is expected, but the association wants the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to adhere to the scheduled 30-day repair timeline to minimize disruptions to petroleum product supply.
PETROAN emphasizes that the repair process must include the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) blending unit, as the crude oil cracking process is of no value without it and demands that NNPCL complete the repair before existing stocks run dry to prevent market monopolization and ensure a stable supply of petroleum products.
It notes that completing the repair on time will help maintain competition in the
market, benefiting consumers and the economy.
The Association recommends that the Minister of Petroleum sets up a
task force comprising all Petroleum Industry Stakeholders Forum to monitor the 30-day repairs.
The task force should brief Nigerians on the job progress every weekend
to ensure transparency and accountability in achieving the 30-day repair schedule.
It went further to recommend that payments to contractors handling
the repairs be made promptly to avoid delays and ensure the project stays on track