News
‘PH Refinery Repairs’ll Boost Revenue’
The Managing Director of the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), Ahmed Dikko, has said that the planned rehabilitation of the refinery would ensure increased revenue and energy sufficiency in the nation.
Dikko made the remark in his presentation during the visit of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Petroleum, led by its Chairman, Sen. Sabo Nakudu, to the company in Eleme, Rivers on Wednesday.
He said that the project, which is expected to commence in two months’ time, would prevent unplanned shutdown as well as increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) when completed.
Other benefits he said included local production of Aviation Turbine Kero and reduction in foreign exchange demand through reduced importation of petroleum products.
Dikko explained that the company comprised of the old Port Harcourt Refinery (OPHR) and the New Port Harcourt Refinery (NPHR) with a combined installed capacity of 210,000 barrels per day (bpd).
He further explained that the OPHR was built in 1965 with initial installed capacity of 35,000bpd and “debottlenecked” to 60,000 bpd in 1972.
Dikko said that the NPHR was commissioned in 1989 with installed capacity of 250,000 bpd but regretted that the refineries’ effective capacity utilisation reduced due to mechanical integrity failure of the capacity assets as a result of delayed Turn-Around Maintenance (TAM).
According to him, statutorily, TAM is to be carried out every other 24 or 26 months, adding that PHRC has undergone TAM three time; 1992, 1994 and 2000 and a major maintenance intervention in 2015.
“Efforts to carry out successive TAMs failed and was not successful due to several challenges.
“This long delay in conducting TAM has created a negative impact on the nation’s local refining capacity which includes loss of revenue, decrease in foreign exchange,” he said.
Others are a significant increase in importation of refined petroleum products to meet domestic demand and decrease in GDP.
The managing director explained that due to the challenge, the Federal government approved the NNPC’s request to rehabilitate the refineries using Original Refinery Builders (ORB).
He said that NNPC also in 2011 secured a waiver from Bureau of Public Procurement to use Japanese Gasoline Corporation, the ORB as a single bidder for the TAM but was later changed to selective tendering due to Tecnimont inspection report.
“Based on the new strategy, 30 international EPC contractors were selected for bidding, but expression of interest was extended to selected contractors, only 10 responded.”
He said out of the 10, seven were prequalified, two declined and one opted for sub-contracting category.
He, however, said that the project was expected to be completed in 2023.
Earlier in his remark, Nakudu said they were in the refinery “to see what is going on and what needs to be done, what needs to be adjusted so that we can capture all segment of the oil industry.”
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.