Fresh facts have emerged on plans by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to convert the Port Harcourt Refinery into a blending plant for lower quality petroleum products from Russia and Malta. The Port Harcourt Refinery has so far cost Nigerians 2Billion Dollars.

According to credible sources, the plan by the NNPCL was to rival the Dangote Refinery, which commenced operations recently.

According to a source who pleaded anonymity for fear of victimization, stated that some key players that have benefited from the fuel subsidy scam in the country are behind the new approach to continue to milk the country dry.

“The NNPCL has perfected plans for the commencement of operations of the Port Harcourt refinery. But what most people don’t know is that the operations of the refinery would be centred around blending substandard products sourced from Russia and Malta.”

The source further added that plans are in top gear towards converting the Port Harcourt refinery into a blending plant to continue the importation of petroleum products into the country to sustain the fraudulent subsidy regime that gulps millions of dollars.

“It is a shameful act to think that the NNPCL is engaged in such despicable enterprise. The management of NNPCL has always acted against the interests of the country.

“They are in bed with the cabal that operates the subsidy regime and with the commencement of operations of the Dangote refinery, the only way to sustain their illicit trade is to convert the Port Harcourt refinery to give the impression that the refinery is running at full capacity. The Port Harcourta Refinery has so far cost Nigerians 2Billion Dollars, whereas what would happen is nothing but economic sabotage.”

Another source who is one of the engineers working in the Port Harcourt refinery stated that the top management of the NNPCL is behind the conversion of the Port Harcourt refinery into a blending plant to rival Dangote refinery.

“We all know that the products from Dangote refinery are of better quality and with the capacity to meet the domestic needs of the country and as such that would put the cabal out of business and for that not to happen, the NNPCL came up with this despicable strategy to deceive the people”.

The source added that the substandard products would be sourced from Russia at a cheap rate and the chemicals would be sourced from Malta. The end product would be cheap but of very low quality.

“This is nothing but economic sabotage. The implication is that the Port Harcourt refinery won’t be able to refine our crude because of the new configuration and that would lead to the continued importation of petroleum products into the country and the attendant payment of subsidy on these products.”

“At the end of the day, Nigerians would be shortchanged and the subsidy cabal would continue to smile to the bank at the expense of the generality of Nigerians. This is indeed a shame and from the look of things, the big people in government seem to have bought into the idea by giving the NNPCL the nod to covert the Port Harcourt refinery into a blending plant.”

It was also gathered that some international interests are aiding the NNPCL in the conversion process and they have provided the NNPCL with the required support to actualize the conversion process. This much was corroborated by a top staffer of the NNPCL who didn’t want his name mentioned. He stated that in no distance time, it would be announced that the Port Harcourt refinery had commenced operations.

“Yes, very soon the refinery would commence operations. However, the products from the refinery would do more harm than good to the consumers and the resources of the country. Don’t forget that billion of dollars were earmarked and released for the operations of the Port Harcourt refinery with taxpayers monies. Ironically, these monies have been spirited into private pockets. It is such a shame.”

“If only Nigerians know what is happening at the NNPCL, they would weep for the country. This is the height of insensitivity and wickedness. Most times I wonder if those at the helm of affairs of the NNPCL care about the economic situation in the country. Their actions can only be described as devilish. This is the sad reality that we are faced with. I dare say that not until the present bunch at the NNPCL leadership are shown the way out, nothing will change and Nigerians will continue to pay through their nose for petroleum products”

It would be recalled that the NNPCL has assured Nigerians that the Port Harcourt Refinery would commence operations on several occasions to no avail.

Efforts to contact the Federal Government-owned commercial company fruitless and a tweet at the official X handle of the NNPCL was not responded to for over 10 hours before filing this report.

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