Turn around maintenance contracts worth $2.9 billion at the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries contracts signed during the administration of Muhammadu Buhari, have been listed for litigation by Nigeria human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) over the continuous postponements timeline by the contractors repair and begin refining of crude at the refineries.
Falana who issued the threat during Sunday Politics on Channels Television interview, while responding to the disclosure made by Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) in a statement on Sunday September 1, 2024.
Recall that the Corporation in a statement, raised concerns over its inability to sustain fuel fuel supply in response to the report of the oil firm being indebted to the tune of $6 billion, days after it hinted on plans to outsource Port Kaduna and Warri refineries to enhance their operations.
The senior lawyer, challenged the Media, Civil Society Organizations, Labour Unions and other Nigerians to brace up and expose corruption in the Nigeria Police sector, which he claimed has continued for too long.
He stated that the ongoing fuel scarcity and long queues at fillings stations in most parts of Nigeria to justify another fuel price increase by the NNPCL, which had said that it can longer see petrol N600 per litre to marketers as unjustifiable in view in relation to alleged cesspool of corruption in Nigerian oil sector, which he claimed the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) has yet to address.
Haven exceeded the deadline for the takeoff of muribund refineries to start refining crude as announced by the NNPCL in past times, Falana said, “there is a timeline that has been breached.
According to him, “They told us December 2023, the refineries will start working. Later, the date was changed, and it became March 2024. Later, they said the date for the Commissioning is now going to be July, July to August and now it’s now September 2024”.
The SAN said, “I lead and Organization, OSCA that has already decided to engage the services of Engineers to go to Port Harcourt refineries to determine the state the Contracts”.
“The cost of the refineries in Warri and Port Harcourt. The Buhari administration awarded the Port Harcourt rehabilitation contract for $1.5 billion while Warri refinery contract was awarded for $1.4 billion”, according to him.
He said, “We cannot afford to allow foreign contractors mesa up this Country for us. We want to sue those Contractors if there is another postponement of the commencement date for refining of crude in those refineries.
Falana further said, “It’s not the business of NNPCL to invite private hands for the Management of Warri and Kaduna refineries unless there is more to it fixing those refineries”.
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