Diala gives 100% credit to Buhari over Port Harcourt Refinery success
By KEMI KASUMU
Public affairs analyst and member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Uche Diala, has given 100 percent credit of the Port Harcourt Refinery success to immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari.
“This is a long awaited good news no doubt,” he said.
Dr. Diala stayed this in a reaction he posted on his verified Facebook timeline on Tuesday.
“If only the needful was done without the needless drama and unexplainable mischief by the NNPCL and some others which have brewed distrust and dampened the expected excitement from this news.
“Nevertheless, it is my honour and privilege to specifically and specially congratulate His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari GCFR and to thank him for his leadership, foresight, belief and steadfastness which ultimately led to this feat that we are celebrating today.
“He saw what many couldn’t or refused to see and believed when many failed to believe and that has earned him a well deserved 100% credit for this feat,” said Dr. Diala.
“Quick Flashback …”, he said, “In March 2021, following the report on the technical assessment of our state owned refineries commissioned by then President Muhammadu Buhari, the Federal Executive Council approved a $1.5 billion contract to rehabilitate the Port Harcourt refinery.
“The contract was awarded to Tecnimont S.P.A, an Italian firm, and the contract agreement was signed on April 6, 2021.
“The contract was for a total rehabilitation of the refinery to restore it to 90% of its nameplate capacity as against the usual turn around maintenance (TAM).
“The contract, which was worth roughly N570 billion at official exchange rate, was planned to be funded from the NNPCL’s internally generated revenue, budgetary allocations and a loan from Afreximbank.
“The three-phased project which was planned to last 44 months – 18 months to achieve 90 per cent capacity utilisation, 24 months in the second phase and completion in 44 months.
“Rehabilitation work on the refinery began soon after the contract was signed.
“Afters 7 missed deadlines, the old PH Refinery (60,000bpd) restarted production today, November 26, 2024 while the new PH Refinery (150,000bpd) is expected to follow suit as originally planned.
“The Port Harcourt refinery has a combined refining capacity of 210,000 barrels per day (bpd) and is made up of two units: the old plant (PH I) – 60,000 bpd, and the new plant (PH II) – 150,000 bpd.
“Thank You FPMB.
“Thank you to every Nigeria who kept believing and never stopped believing in this project.
“God Bless Nigeria, he said.
Referenced media reports posted by Diala as follows:
