Niger Delta lawyers have issued a stark ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its Managing Director, Mele Kyari: make the Port Harcourt Refinery fully operational by the end of September 2024 or brace for serious consequences.
Operating under the Coalition of Niger Delta Youth on Energy Reforms and Transparency in the Oil and Gas Sector, the lawyers expressed growing frustration with unfulfilled promises about the refinery’s restoration. They warned that if action isn’t taken immediately, the consequences could extend beyond regional unrest to disrupt national stability.
“This is no idle threat,” declared the group’s representatives, Dickens A. Opu and Werigbelegha Zinake, in a joint statement. “We demand the refinery’s functionality by the end of September. Failure to comply will spark reactions that could destabilize not only the Niger Delta but also impact Nigeria’s energy sector as a whole.”
According to the coalition, the non-functioning refinery has caused significant hardship in oil-producing communities, where fuel prices are soaring beyond national averages. The lawyers accused NNPCL of deliberately impoverishing the region, adding that the economic fallout has pushed local residents to the brink.
“We will not stand by while our people pay inflated prices for fuel produced in their own backyard. The continued exploitation of the Niger Delta is unacceptable, and the government’s failure to act speaks volumes about its disregard for our people,” the group stated.
The coalition further raised alarms about rumors suggesting the refinery may be converted into a facility for blending substandard petroleum products imported from Russia. The group condemned such a plan, stating it would worsen environmental degradation and expose residents to toxic chemicals.
“We have credible information that the refinery could be used to process inferior petroleum products from Russia. This would not only violate environmental laws but also poison the region’s fragile ecosystem, which has already suffered enough,” they said.
Mele Kyari had previously set a target for the Port Harcourt Refinery to be operational by December 2024, with other refineries to follow in 2025. However, the Niger Delta lawyers rejected this timeline as “too little, too late,” citing the region’s vital contribution to the nation’s oil production and economy.
“Waiting until December is unacceptable. Our communities are bleeding economically, and the longer this drags on, the deeper the crisis becomes. If the refinery isn’t restored by September’s end, the Niger Delta will have no choice but to take matters into its own hands,” the group warned ominously.
The lawyers also lambasted the NNPCL’s leadership under Kyari, accusing the company of fostering corruption and inefficiency within the oil and gas sector. They claimed that a cartel is draining resources with impunity while the government remains passive, allowing vast revenues to disappear unchecked.
In their closing remarks, the coalition demanded urgent government action to restore the refinery’s operations and enact reforms to safeguard oil-producing communities. They also called for an investigation into the NNPCL’s management under Kyari, holding him personally accountable for the nation’s deteriorating energy situation.
“This is a final warning. The time for talk is over. If the Port Harcourt Refinery is not operational by the end of September, there will be consequences that the government will not be able to contain,” the statement concluded.
The ultimatum leaves little room for negotiation, making it clear that continued delays will escalate tensions in a region already on the edge.
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