On the 9th of December 2024 the leaders of the Nigerian Labor Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), went on a courtesy visit to the Port Harcourt refinery in Eleme, to get a first-hand view of what was happening there as the Federal Government had promised over again that the refinery would start operations.
At the refinery plant, the chairman of NNPC, Mele Kyari, reiterated that the refinery would soon commence operations and Nigerians, especially those within Port-Harcourt and its neighboring states were in jubilation as producing PMS within the shores of the country would automatically translate to the gain of naira against the dollar, subsequently decrease in the cost of transportation, which would ultimate lead to a much balanced market price of common commodities.
This leaves one wondering what vision the Government has for Nigerians as regards to the distribution of the common wealth of the Nation, for if NNPC could act in a short period, what technical issue stopped the refinery from operating all these years?
In saner climes things are done with the interest of citizens at heart as every clan, community, town and city are what they are today not because of the contribution of the people, and when such people are continually meted with disappointment as a results of the inability of certain Government agencies to perform their duties. The State and indeed the whole of Nigeria is in a state of retrogression because certain contributions from certain citizens are not being felt as many have withdrawn into their safe place, and are watching things unfold from afar.
As a child, growing up I used to believe so much in Nigerian and was of the school of thought that the leaders meant well for us, and that one day, we would see things work out best but now, I can see what an elder, though sitting on a chair sees what a child cannot see even if on a tree.
The love of many elders has waxed cold, due to the constant heartbreak dealt on them irrespective of distance, so now the older one gets the more distant they are from the State (except for those in power) because it cuts deeper knowing that the one who aids in sponsoring retrogression in the land where God gave us so much abundance isn’t a foreigner but the man whom many fought tooth and nail see victorious, with scars as evidence for what they would never get to enjoy.
The proof of the above testament is that the Nation boasts of two hundred million plus citizens, but less than eighty million turn out to register in order to vote, 20% of that eighty million only register in order to use the voting cards for identification purposes. It is proof that many are no longer interested, though good, but the memories of unending disappointment stand as a glaring discouragement.
It is impossible that an institute set up by a State to support its citizens would turn out to be the knife that used to strike a blow that puts them in a position of incapacitation.
Alas, this time, the NNPC came through as the Port-Harcourt refinery is now in full operation. Producing more than 1.3 million liters of PMS daily is proof that there is still light in the tunnel, for a million wrongs can only be corrected starting from one good deed.
It is written in the Holy Bible, in the book of Job chapter 14 verse 7(KJV),” For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.”
If NNPC could supernaturally get things done, then there might still be hope for the Nigerian State to get things done rightly.
Keep the hope alive!
