The announcement by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) that the Port Harcourt Refinery will become operational in four weeks has been met with skepticism by Nigerians. This is not the first time such a promise has been made, and many are wondering if this latest deadline will also end in disappointment.
It is relevant to mention that TPCN had earlier reported that the IPMAN’s National Operations Controller, Zarma Mustapha, revealed that the refinery would supply 10-12 million liters of petrol daily and operate independently, selling at the prevailing market price. However, Nigerians are not holding their breath, given the numerous broken promises in the past.
To jog the memory, in December 2023, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri, promised that the refinery would start operations, but nothing happened. In March 2024, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, assured Nigerians that the rehabilitated Port Harcourt Refinery would commence operations in two weeks, but that deadline also passed without any progress.
The latest promise has been described as a “harvest of promises with unending deceptions” by some Nigerians. Many are questioning the government’s sincerity and wondering if this is just another attempt to hoodwink the masses.
While some are willing to give the government the benefit of the doubt, others are adamant that nothing will come out of this latest promise. The president of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), Alhaji Yerima Shettima, expressed optimism but also cautioned that the government must be honest and sincere with Nigerians.
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However, not everyone is convinced that this time will be different. A journalist and public affairs analyst, Nze Ezeocha, believes that the promise will end up like the previous ones, citing the lack of transparency and secrecy surrounding the oil refining industry in Nigeria.
The president of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Dr. Pogu Bitrus, also expressed strong skepticism, stating that the Nigerian attitude has not changed and that the government should come clean on the true situation of things and lead with honesty rather than deceiving the populace.
It bears mentioning that as time inches forward to the promised deadline, Nigerians are waiting with bated breath to see if this latest promise will be fulfilled. Will the Port Harcourt Refinery finally become operational, or will it be another false dawn for Nigerians? Only time will tell.
