Tinubu vows to revive Nigeria’s refineries after structural reset

President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that the country’s state-owned refineries will be revived following a comprehensive structural and operational reset.

Tinubu gave the assurance on Thursday in Abuja while receiving the National Executive Council of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), led by its National President, Salimon Akanni Oladiti, at the State House.

The President said the Federal Government would adopt an evidence-based approach to fixing the refineries through research, technical assessments, restructuring and improved management.

“The refineries that you mentioned are going to come back to work; we’re just building a very firm, resetting, and structural reworking of the economy of it,” Tinubu said.

He stressed that merely producing flames or smoke was not enough, insisting that the facilities must operate profitably and deliver the value for which they were established.

Tinubu also accepted responsibility for fixing challenges inherited from previous administrations, regardless of how long they had existed.

“I’m not a man who goes looking back on everything because I’ve accepted the assets and liabilities of my predecessor. No matter what has happened in the years past, it’s now my responsibility as president to fix it and make it work for the greatest common good of our population,” he said.

Nigeria’s four major government-owned refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna have a combined installed capacity of about 445,000 barrels per day but have struggled for years because of poor maintenance, operational inefficiencies and pipeline vandalism.

The President also urged Nigerians to remain committed to democracy, describing it as a system of freedom and opportunity that must be protected.

On local government autonomy, Tinubu said the constitutional issues surrounding its implementation were being reviewed, with possible adjustments being considered.

He further promised greater inclusion for NUPENG in the implementation of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative and urged the union to ensure that the benefits of CNG reach commuters.

Earlier, NUPENG President Oladiti commended Tinubu for removing the petrol subsidy, describing the decision as courageous and saying it had freed resources for infrastructure and other sectors.

He, however, urged the Federal Government to sustain efforts to revive the refineries, arguing that functional facilities would strengthen Nigeria’s energy security, reduce dependence on imported petroleum products and create more opportunities for workers.

The union later decorated President Tinubu as its Grand Patron.

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