– Committees’ Reports Influenced Development
PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has set March 2013 for the completion of the turn-around maintenance of three refineries in Kaduna, Port-Harcourt and Warri.
This was according to the president’s special adviser on media and publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, who made the disclosure to State House Correspondents in Abuja on Thursday.
Abati said the decision by the President was sequel to the recommendations of the Petroleum Sector committees submitted last Friday.
He said that in less than a week after the reports were submitted, the president had put machinery in place for their full implementation.
Abati said the implementation began with the report of committee on the nation’s refineries, which recommended measures to boost domestic refining of products to create jobs.
The committee headed by Dr Kalu Idika Kalu, in its report, blamed the epileptic performance of the country’s refineries on the lack of proper maintenance and funding.
“The president has not only commended the committee on refineries, but also made it clear that part of the determination of his administration is to make sure that Nigeria stops the importation of fuel.
“Subsequently, he directed the Minister of Petroleum Resources to take that report and look into It and then come up with action plan as to what can be done going forward.
“He also directed that a technical report be prepared on how to get the refineries working.
“The Kaduna Refinery is able to produce per day now about 110,000 barrels per day while the Port Harcourt Refinery produces 210,000 barrel per day and the Warri refinery’s — 125,000 barrels per day,’’ he said.
Abati said the President met with the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Maduekwe and top officials of the NNPC on the urgent need to achieve maximum production by the refineries.
The presidential spokesperson said that the president told the team that the interest of this government was to ensure that crude oil was refined domestically to put and to the importation of finished products.
He gave an assurance that the recommendations by the three respective committees would be implemented.