Refinery rehabilitation: Obasanjo carpets NNPCL calls plant invitation disrespectful.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has attacked the recent invitation offered to him by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, calling it insulting.
Olufemi Soneye, the NNPCL’s spokesperson, had asked the former president to tour the refineries in Port Harcourt and Warri.
Following an interview on Channels Television on Thursday, the ex-president discussed unsuccessful efforts to privatise oil installations in the country, the firm extended an invitation.
Obasanjo voiced anger with refinery mismanagement, pointing out that despite large investments since 2007, no results had been produced.
He revealed that his successor, Musa Yar’Adua, declined a $750 million offer from Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group, to oversee the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries.
According to Obasanjo, the NNPCL was conscious of its limits in operating the country’s refineries but informed Yar’Adua that the company could handle them, resulting in the rejection of Dangote’s offer.
He stated, “When I was president, I intended to do something about our three refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna. Aliko organised a team after I requested Shell to come and run it for us.
Shell insisted they wouldn’t. I asked, ‘Please come and take equity,’ but they declined.
I suggested running the business without taking shares, but they declined.Aliko assembled a team and paid $750 million to participate in PPP (Public-Private Partnership) operations at the refineries.
My successor reimbursed their money, and I went to my successor; I told him what had happened; he claimed NNPC said they wanted the refinery and could operate it, and I replied, “But you know they cannot run it.”
He continued: “But I was told not too long ago that since that time, more than $2bn had been squandered on the refineries, and they still would not work.”
He emphasised that if a business, such as Shell, refused his offer to operate the refineries for their own reasons, he would believe the company.
The former president voiced trust in Dangote’s capacity to properly operate his privately held refinery, drawing a contrast with the government’s inefficiencies.
In response, Femi Soneye, the NNPCL spokesperson, affirmed that the refineries were operational.
Soneye added that the NNPCL had not only performed turnaround maintenance on the plants, but also overhauled the refineries to world-class standards.
He continued: “We extend an open invitation to former President Obasanjo for a tour of the rehabilitated refineries to witness firsthand the progress made under the new NNPC Limited.”
The former president, speaking through his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, indicated that the oil corporation had not extended him an official invitation as of Thursday, January 2, 2024.
“Is that an appropriate manner to invite a former president of the country? Who claims Baba has seen the statement or read the news?
The former president’s office is completely disrespected.As of January 2, has the NNPCL written to him? Has the NNPCL offered him an official invitation to tour the refinery? It is an utter insult, and the former president cannot respond in a dignified manner,” Obasanjo’s aide said.