News

Controversy Trails Port Harcourt Refinery Takeover

Published

9 years ago

May 22, 2017

Controversy has continued to trail the proposed take-over of Port Harcourt refinery by Oando Plc, recently given wide reportage by the media.
The media attention however, appeared to have unsettled the management of Oando, which readily issued a statement in form of clarification, signed by its Chief Strategy and Corporate Services Officer, Ainoije Alex Irune, explaining that:
The company stated that with the concerted efforts of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to aggressively drive private sector led refineries rehabilitation and expansion programmes, Oando as local partner to NAOC/ENI will support the active rehabilitation of PHRC on activities of terminalling, logistics, structuring and funding.
It explained that active negotiations are ongoing and it is expected that a final agreement will be reached by the end of July, 2017.
But ENI was one of the firms whose name featured prominently in the Malabu Scandal, a scandal involving an alleged bribery saga between company representatives and officials of the Nigerian government.
Its officials denied the charge. Although mentioned as being involved, former President Goodlcuk Jonathan denied any participation in the alleged bribery supposedly paid to him through proxies.
However, according to the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, privatisation of refineries, chronicle of events, obtained by Sunday Vanguard, the PHRC transaction process effectively commenced in March 2004.
It stated, “Bids by four bidders were received at the deadline of December 2, 2005: They included Essar Infrastructure of India; Oando Plc; Refinee Petroplus; and Transcorp Plc (now Bluestar Oil Service Limited Consortium).
“On evaluation, it was discovered that all the four bidders did not meet the minimum qualification benchmark apparently due to misunderstanding of the provisions of the Request of Proposals circulated by CSFB.”
According to the BPE, “All the bidders’ technical bids were evaluated and recommended for the financial bid opening, scheduled for July 2006.
“The Bureau subsequently received a letter from the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (now Minister of Energy) conveying Federal Government’s directive to suspend the conclusion of the privatisation of PHRC to enable government investigate a complaint by one of the bidders.
“The Economic Management Team (EMT) intervened to rescue the transaction and (complied) with the Policy Support Instrument (PSI). Subsequently, the transaction was re-opened and fresh advertisements for expressions of interest were placed in December 2006.
The deadline for submission of EOIs was January 19, 2007.” BPE further stated that six bids were received from the following prospective investors: Mittal Investments Limited, Indorama International Finance Limited, Global Oil and Energy, LinkGlobal International Limited, Taleveras Group and Oil Works Limited (DFP Project Finance Limited).
BPE explained that “following evaluation of new Expression of Interests, EOI, approval was granted for prequalification of eight consortia.
The firms recommended to proceed to the next stage included Essar Infrastructure of India, Oando Plc, Refinee Petroplus and Bluestar Oil Services Limited Consortium.
Others included Mittal Investments Limited, Indorama International Finance Limited, LinkGlobal International Limited and Global Oil and Energy. “BNP Paribas was engaged to conduct fresh valuation of the refineries.” BPE noted that at the financial bid opening, Bluestar Oil Services Limited Consortium emerged the preferred bidder with a bid of $561 million.
Other bidders were disqualified for breaching bidding rules. Refinee Petroplus was said to not to have presented the bank draft for 50 percent of their bid, while the bank draft (allegedly) provided by Oando Plc did not sum up to the 50 percent of their bid price as required in the bidding rules.
“NCP”, BPE then concluded, “subsequently approved Bluestar Oil Services as the core investor in PHRC.
Bluestar completed payment for the full amount of their bid price of $561 million on Friday May 25, 2007, and share certificate for PHRC was handed over to Bluestar Oil Services Limited on May 28, 2007,” BPE added.
Though the refinery was handed down over to Bluestar a day before former President Olusegun Obasanjo handed over power to late President Umar Yar’ Adua, the latter cancelled the privatisation exercise done for all the refineries.
Prior to that, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association, PENGASSAN and Petroleum and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers, NUPENG, had protested that sale of the nation’s refineries.
When our correspondent contacted the two unions, neither of them responded to calls nor text messages. But according to Oando, it “shares the vision of the Nigerian Government to become a petroleum product self-sufficient country in the short to medium term and ultimately be a net exporter of such products.
“Accordingly, pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) reached by the Federal Government and NAOC/ENI, Oando will partner with NAOC/ENI in the proposed rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery (PHRC).
This will be based on a repair, operate and maintain (ROM) agreement which will see PHRC’s capacity grow from its current 30 percent to 100 percent, its main capacity of 210,000 BPSD.”

News

Cleric Predicts Breakthrough, Warns of Political and Security Challenges in 2026

Published

2 days ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Founder and Senior Pastor of Liberty Hour Ministry, Port Harcourt, Apostle Chikadibia John Wodo, has expressed optimism that 2026 will usher in uncommon breakthroughs and good fortune for Nigeria, particularly in the areas of political, economic, and spiritual development, with Rivers State playing a key role.

Apostle Wodo made this declaration in his special New Year message, where he stated that individuals and forces standing as obstacles to the manifestation of God’s will in the new year would face bitter consequences. He cautioned that corrupt political leaders risk backlash from the very people they govern if they fail to change their ways.

The cleric warned against the escalation of political tension in Rivers State and called on residents and religious leaders to intensify prayers for lasting peace. He also urged Governor Siminalayi Fubara to remain resolute in leadership, reminding him to uphold his vows to God by continually seeking divine guidance in decision-making and governance amid evolving challenges.

Assessing the broader national situation, Apostle Wodo called on Nigerian leaders to repent and govern with a heightened sense of responsibility, noting that the cries and supplications of the masses have drawn divine attention. He further warned of alleged plots to disrupt a smooth democratic transition in 2027 and appealed for prayers to avert such an agenda.

According to him, Nigerians are yearning for genuine socio-economic transformation and freedom from political oppression. He challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to redeem its credibility by ensuring free, fair, and credible elections devoid of undue political interference.

The cleric also predicted that insecurity could worsen in the coming year and warned of the possible emergence of a strange ailment, stressing that Nigeria’s political challenges can only be resolved through equity, fairness, and justice, especially in the treatment of minorities, the vulnerable, and the disadvantaged.

Apostle Wodo further claimed that some clerics and General Overseers have compromised their faith and incurred divine displeasure, calling for sincere repentance to restore their relationship with God. He also advised early preparedness to mitigate natural disasters such as fire outbreaks and flooding, particularly in rural communities.

He concluded by urging Nigerians to remain prayerful, vigilant, and united as the nation navigates the opportunities and challenges of 2026.

News

Ado Royal Family Disowns Alleged Installation of Amanyanabo of Okrika

Published

2 days ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Ado Royal Family of Okrika has firmly disassociated itself from the alleged self-enthronement of Hon. Godknows Tam George as the Amanyanabo of Okrika and Clan Head, describing the action as unlawful, illegitimate, and a threat to the peace of the ancient kingdom.

The family, which described itself as the sole legitimate custodian of the history, traditions, and stool of the Amanyanabo of Okrika, stated that it has not installed any king and has not commenced the formal process for such installation.

This position was contained in a statement jointly signed by Prof. Sotonye Fyneface-Ogan (Ogan Ado Royal House), Alabo Engr. Henry Semenitari Abam (Abam Ado Royal House), and Alabo Prince Oriyeorikabo Fibika (Fibika Ado Royal House). The statement was presented to journalists on Friday at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt.

According to the statement, the purported action by Hon. Tam George amounts to “a blatant assault on the collective integrity of the Okrika people” and constitutes “a criminal act of impersonation with the potential to destabilize the peace and socio-political fabric of our ancient kingdom.”

The family stressed that Hon. Tam George was never presented as a candidate by the Ado Royal Family and did not undergo any of the mandatory rites, consultations, or confirmations required by Okrika customs.

“The Ado Royal Family has never presented him as a candidate, nor has he undergone any of the prerequisite rites, consultations, or confirmations. His actions are those of a lone interloper, operating in a vacuum of legitimacy,” the statement read.

It further emphasized that the stool of the Amanyanabo of Okrika and Clan Head is a sacred institution rooted in centuries-old traditions and spiritual heritage, not something to be claimed through academic qualifications, political ambition, or personal interest.

Speaking during the briefing, Prof. Sotonye Fyneface-Ogan reiterated that the process of crowning an Amanyanabo is clearly defined and has not yet begun.

“To crown a king, there is a process, and those processes have not taken place,” he said. “We are the chiefs; we are the ones that will be part of the selection. Honestly, we have not started the selection process; we have only begun discussions.”

He explained that during the proper selection process, chiefs supervise nominations from each constituent house, with each house expected to nominate two or three candidates—steps which, he noted, have not been carried out.

“I want to assure the public that none of the Ado family chiefs has given Hon. Tam George any sign of approval,” Prof. Fyneface-Ogan added.

Efforts to obtain the reaction of Hon. Godknows Tam George proved unsuccessful. Repeated attempts through phone calls, text messages, and WhatsApp messages were unsuccessful, as he did not respond as of the time of filing this report.

By: Tonye Orabere

News

PH Traders Laud RSG’s Fire Safety Sensitisation Campaign

Published

2 days ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Traders in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, have commended the Rivers State Government (RSG) for its ongoing fire emergency and safety sensitisation campaign across major markets in the state.

Speaking on behalf of traders at Nowa Market, Borikiri Old Port Harcourt Township, the market chairman, Mr. Innocent Chukwuma, praised Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara for initiating the awareness programme in designated markets and public places.

Chukwuma described the exercise as timely and impactful, noting that it was the first time the Rivers State Government had carried out such a campaign in Nowa Market. According to him, the sensitisation would educate traders on fire emergencies and the necessary precautions to prevent outbreaks.

He urged traders to strictly apply the safety measures taught during the campaign, both during business hours and after closing their shops.

“I want to thank the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, and the Ministry of Special Duties for coming to our aid, especially during this dry season,” Chukwuma said.

“This is the first time we are seeing government presence in our market in this manner. We lack words to thank our God-sent governor, particularly for providing us with fire extinguishers and other firefighting equipment.

“We will do exactly what we have been taught today to ensure there is no fire incident in our market. We will always switch off all electrical appliances before closing for the day,” he added.

Similarly, the Chairman of Mile 3 USTRE Modern Market, Mr. Gift Nkesi Benjamin, applauded the state government for the distribution of fire extinguishers and other fire safety equipment.

“We will adhere strictly to the safety guidelines and instructions given to us today to ensure there is no fire outbreak in our market,” Benjamin stated.

“On behalf of Mile 3 USTRE Modern Market, I sincerely thank the Rivers State Government and the Ministry of Special Duties for bringing this important campaign to our market.”

At Rumuwoji Market (popularly known as Mile 1 Market), the Chairman, Chief Hon. Godpower O. Wobo, also expressed gratitude to the state government for the sensitisation exercise. He assured that traders would comply fully with government directives to prevent future fire incidents.

Responding on behalf of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Special Duties, Mr. Sokari D. P. George, thanked the traders for their cooperation and warm reception.

He emphasised that safety remains paramount, especially during the dry season, and urged traders to be cautious in their daily activities.

Mr. George disclosed that the theme of the 2025 fire safety campaign is “Controlled Fire Is a Friend, Uncontrolled Fire Is an Enemy.”

He cautioned against refuse and bush burning around buildings and warned traders not to store fuel in unauthorized places such as homes, offices, markets, or public buildings.

“Follow all fire safety guidelines and instructions,” he urged.

The permanent secretary also noted that Governor Fubara prefers a zero-fireworks approach during festive periods to ensure public safety, stressing that the government has invested heavily in markets and expects traders to take responsibility for protecting them.

By: Kiadum Edookor