A one-time Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has hailed President Bola Tinubu and the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd. for their courage in reactivating the Port Harcourt Refinery.
The rehabilitation of the refinery, which has been on for some times, appears to have yielded fruits after several failed attempts when the production of refined petroleum products began early this week.
Reacting to the development, Kayode said both the President and the GCEO of the NNPC Ltd showed great courage and tenacity to overcome challenges to restore operations at the plant.
In the statement, the former Minister took a veiled swipe at the President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Dangote, whom he accused attempting to emerge as the monopoly in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry with the redined products from the Dangote Refinery.
Kayode’s statement reads: “The resurrection of the PH refinery is one of the most encouraging things that has happened in the petroleum sector for many years and the credit for this must go to the the President and the GMD of NNPC.
“It is a pity that some elements in the private sector who are new in the field are doing all they can to undermine and understate this great victory for Nigeria.
“The oil business is not the same as selling sugar, spaghetti, cement or rice and no matter how hard you try you cannot muscle your way and create a monopoly on the sale of refined products as you did for other commodities over the years.
“NNPC will go from strength to strength and once its other refineries are working as well Nigerians will have cause to smile again.
“Let the new kid on the block flourish. But let the NNPC refineries flourish too. That should be our goal and not a squalid attempt to discredit NNPC and its leadership.
“Every optimistic and true lover of Nigeria’s progress and President Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda must be proud of the GMD Mele Kyari. His tenacity, bravery, ingenuity and forthrightness has been rewarded with this great feat. Surely this is hope renewed for Nigerians,” he said.
