Shutdown of PH Refinery: NNPCL Shuts Out Journalists

The management of Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited (PHRC) has warned its staff against responding to inquiries from the press over the controversial shutdown of the old Refinery plant for repairs due any moment from now.
The management announced a scheduled shutdown of its Area 5 Plant for routine turnaround maintenance aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and performance.
According to an internal memo signed by Leo Njoku, HCM Lead for the O&M PHRC Project, the staff are also not to attend to any stranger found within the vicinities of the refinery complex during the period that the shutdown maintenance will last.
Njoku noted that many people including the group management of NNPCL, government officials and the press would come around the refinery. But no staff should attend to them.
“All staff are expected to mind their business and face their assigned tasks,” the memo stated.
The communication emphasized that granting interviews or speaking to the press is a violation of civil service rules and could attract disciplinary actions. It also noted that the Human Capital Management (HCM) department will monitor staff conduct closely during the maintenance period.
“Please be guided and mind your business,” the memo concluded.
The turnaround maintenance is part of ongoing efforts to revamp Nigeria’s refining capacity and reduce dependence on imported petroleum products.
The TAM project had come under scrutiny shortly after the tenure of the last Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Melee Kyari retired. The new management discovered that huge sums of money meant for the rehabilitation projects of the three refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna were diverted.
The managing directors of the three refineries were consequently arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
But surprisingly last week, the new Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mr. Bayo Ojukari, disclosed that the old Port Harcourt refinery which was said to have started production just after undergoing rehabilitation would be shut down on Saturday to pave way for maintenance.
This has drawn shock from stakeholders who have called for inquests into the turnaround projects.
The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) expressed concerns over the shutdown but called for strict adherence to the 30 says the company gave for the maintenance of the old refinery so as not to disrupt the flow of petroleum products.
According to a statement issued by Dr.. Joseph Obele, the National Public Relations Officer of PETROAN, its National President, Billy Gillis-Harry, said PETROAN feares that the 30-day schedule might not be realistic due to usual bottlenecks, potentially leading to further delays and exacerbating supply challenges.
The association is worried that delays in the old refinery’s 30-day rehabilitation schedule may worsen economic hardship for millions of Nigerians.
PETROAN therefore demanded as follows: Inclusion of PMS Blending Unit in the repairs, “as the crude oil cracking process is of no value without it.”
It said completing the repair on time would help maintain competition in the market, benefiting consumers and the economy.
It demanded that a task force be set up to brief Nigerians on the job progress every weekend to ensure transparency and accountability in achieving the 30-day repair schedule.
“PETROAN recommends that payments to contractors handling the repairs be made promptly to avoid delays and ensure the project stays on track.”