The Eastern Zonal Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Comrade Emmanuel Inimgba, has urged the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, to either expedite the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery or step down from his position.
Inimgba raised concerns over what he described as the unprofessional handling of the $1.5 billion refinery rehabilitation project, which was shut down on May 24, 2025, for a scheduled 30-day repair but has remained inactive for more than 80 days.
He noted that the prolonged closure has caused thousands of job losses, affecting tanker drivers, members of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), staff of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), IPMAN workers, and residents of host communities.
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“Fixing the refinery would create jobs, boost the local economy, improve fuel supply and distribution, increase government revenue, enhance energy security, and improve the living standards of host communities,” Inimgba stated.
According to him, credible reports suggest contractors have withdrawn from the site due to a lack of funds, while the NNPCL GCEO has yet to visit the facility in his four months in office. He stressed that IPMAN fully supports President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform agenda and will resist any action that undermines the president’s vision.
Inimgba warned that if the GCEO cannot demonstrate commitment to the project, stakeholders and host communities will have no choice but to urge President Tinubu to consider replacing him.
