From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
Femi Fani-Kayode, former Minister of Tourism, has responded to critics of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) regarding the recent revival of the Port Harcourt Refinery.
He accused certain factions within the private oil and gas sector of attempting to downplay and undermine the rejuvenation of the refinery.
In a statement shared on his official X account on Thursday, Fani-Kayode said that the oil industry is not comparable to selling products like sugar, spaghetti, or cement, indirectly addressing Aliko Dangote, the president of Dangote Refinery.
His remarks follow skepticism about the Port Harcourt Refinery’s viability after the NNPCL announced that the facility began distributing petroleum products on Tuesday.
Timothy Mgbere, Secretary of the Alesa community stakeholders, claimed in an interview on Arise Television that the refinery was only distributing old stock and not newly refined products.
In response, Fani-Kayode pointed to certain elements in the private sector as being behind a smear campaign aimed at discrediting NNPCL’s Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, especially regarding the refinery’s restart after years of inactivity.
He asserted that the revitalization of the Port Harcourt Refinery represents a significant achievement for Nigeria and expressed that what the country truly needs is for NNPCL’s refineries, as well as Dangote Refinery and others, to thrive.
He said, “The resurrection of the PH refinery is one of the most encouraging things that has happened in the petroleum sector for many years, and the credit for this must go to the President and the GMD of NNPC.
“It is a pity that some elements in the private sector who are new in the field are doing all they can to undermine and underestimate this great victory for Nigeria.
“The oil business is not the same as selling sugar, spaghetti, cement, or rice, and no matter how hard you try, you cannot muscle your way and create a monopoly on the sale of refined products as you did for other commodities over the years.”.
He added: “NNPC will go from strength to strength, and once its other refineries are working as well, Nigerians will have cause to smile again. Let the new kid on the block flourish, but let the NNPC refineries flourish too. That should be our goal and not a squalid attempt to discredit NNPC and its leadership.
“Every optimistic and true lover of Nigeria’s progress and President Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda must be proud of the GMD Mele Kyari. His tenacity, bravery, ingenuity, and forthrightness have been rewarded with this great feat. Surely this is hope renewed for Nigerians.”
Source: Daily Sun
