Timothy Mgbere, the Secretary of the Alesa community stakeholders in Rivers State, has raised concerns over the products loaded from the newly rehabilitated Port Harcourt Refinery. According to Mgbere, the products were not freshly refined but rather old stock that had been stored at the facility for over three years.
In an interview with Arise TV on Thursday, Mgbere, representing the host community of the refinery, explained that only six trucks were loaded with products on Tuesday, contrary to the claims by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) that 200 trucks of petrol would be dispatched daily. He described the event as a “show” rather than a true operational achievement.
Mgbere further alleged that the refinery, referred to as “Area Five” by locals, was only operating in a limited capacity. While he acknowledged that some units of the refinery had been brought back online, he insisted that not all units were functional. He also criticized the NNPCL for claiming that the refinery was producing 1.4 million barrels of petrol per day, calling the statement misleading.
The Port Harcourt Refinery resumed operations on Tuesday after years of inactivity, with NNPCL announcing that the facility had reached 70% of its refining capacity. The corporation also stated that products such as diesel, kerosene, and premium motor spirit (petrol) would be produced at the facility. However, Mgbere emphasized that the actual products loaded from the refinery were part of old stock stored at the plant, not fresh products from the newly rehabilitated units.
The refinery, which is critical to the economy of the Alesa community, has long been a source of local employment and economic activity. Mgbere expressed disappointment that the ceremony surrounding the refinery’s reopening was not a true reflection of its current operational status.
He urged the NNPCL to be transparent with Nigerians and avoid spreading false information. “What they had on Tuesday was just a mere calibration of the new loading gantry using old stock from the old refinery,” he said. “It was not new refined product, and only six trucks were loaded.”
Mgbere’s statement paints a stark contrast to the official narrative put out by the NNPCL, raising questions about the true state of the Port Harcourt Refinery’s rehabilitation and its ability to meet the nation’s refining needs.
