The Federal Government has revealed that the Port Harcourt Refinery is nearing completion at 80%, with the capacity to generate two million liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and 2.2 million liters of diesel daily once operational.
Director of Press and Public Relations, Olajide Oshundun, stated that the old refinery plant would contribute 54,000 barrels per day, while the upcoming plant, in its final phase of construction, is anticipated to commence production by year-end.
Minister of State, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, affirmed these details following an inspection tour, highlighting a combined daily production potential of 10 million liters of PMS from both plants.
“Speaking on the inspection visit to the Port-Harcourt refinery by TUC and Federal Government delegation, the minister said reports by organised labour and government established that the Port-Harcourt refinery is 80 percent completed.
“She explained that the old plant would begin with 54,000 barrels per day, which would produce two million litres of PMS and 2.2 million litres of diesel per day, while the new plant which is currently going through its last phase of completion would also begin production before the end of the year. The combined capacity of the two plants, when fully on stream, would produce 10 million litres of PMS per day”, the statement read.
Onyejeocha emphasised the government’s willingness to engage in dialogue with organised labour and various stakeholders to foster peace and harmony in the sector.
She urged union leaders to view strike actions as a last resort, cautioning that such measures could send unfavourable signals to potential investors.
“Issuing of constant strike threat could send wrong signals to potential investors. This is not healthy for our business environment”.
The released statement indicated that both the Federal Government and the Trade Union Congress leadership convened to assess the progress report on agreements made in October 2023 between the government and organised labour.
“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.
The statement noted significant strides, including the subsidised distribution of fertilizers to farmers nationwide, ongoing government dialogues with state governments and the private sector regarding the implementation of wage awards for their workers, and outlined plans to promote Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) for job creation and economic enhancement in the country.
