Edo Gov Okpebholo commends Tinubu, NNPCL over restoration of Warri refinery
Senator Monday Okpebholo, the Edo State Governor, on Tuesday, said the restoration of the Warri Refinery was a significant breakthrough for the petroleum industry in the country and a New Year gift to Nigerians while congratulating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited for the successful restart of the 125,000 barrels per day (bpd) Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company.
The governor made commendations in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua.
The statement read, “The restoration of the 125,000 barrels per day Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company marks a turnaround in the nation’s petroleum sector.
“I hail President Tinubu for the reform in the sector, which has started yielding positive results, and this will lead to the economy’s advancement. I urge Nigerians to support the president.
“With the Warri, Port Harcourt and Dangote refineries working simultaneously, there is hope that the petroleum sector is taking a new turn.
“I want to join other numerous Nigerians to congratulate President Tinubu and the NNPCL under Mele Kyari for successfully reviving the Warri Refinery. For me, this is certainly a New Year gift to Nigerians. Edo State will continue to support the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government to restore our national pride and make Nigeria a hub for crude oil refining in Africa.”
The Informant247 reports that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited on Monday commenced 125,000-barrel-per-day Warri Refining & Petrochemicals Company operation in Warri, Delta State.
NNPCL’s announcement came less than a month after the commencement of operations at the 60,000-barrel-per-day-old Port Harcourt Refinery.
This was disclosed by the NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, during a tour of the facility on Monday.
A video posted by Channels TV on Monday showed Kyari addressing a tour team, which included the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed.
Before the tour commenced, Kyari explained that the inspection aimed to show Nigerians the level of work completed so far.
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According to him, although the repairs on the facility are not yet 100 per cent complete, operations have commenced.
He said, “We are taking you through our plant. This plant is running. Although it is not 100 per cent complete, we are still in the process. Many people think these things are not real. They think real things are not possible in this country. We want you to see that this is real.”
Located in Ekpan, Uwvie, and Ubeji, Warri, the petrochemical plant produces 13,000 metric tonnes per annum (MTA) of polypropylene and 18,000 MTA of carbon black.
Commissioned in 1978 and managed by NNPCL, the WRPC was built to supply markets in the southern and southwestern regions of Nigeria.
The mechanical completion of the facility was initially scheduled for the first quarter of 2024, according to the NNPCL spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye.
“Warri should be done by Q1 (first quarter) 2024,” Soneye stated.
Source: PUNCH
