Former General Manager, Corporate Planning and Business Development NNPC, Babajide Soyode spoke in an interview during the Morning Show on Monday about why the refineries are currently not in operation in Nigeria.
According to Sayode, if the government wanted the refineries to operate, they would, but they won’t even allow them to operate because they want to produce fuel oils for bunker use.
“If the government wanted the refineries to work it would, but they won’t allow it to work because they want to produce fuel oils that will be used for bunkery.”
Mr Sayode went on to remark that the technologies that allow the refineries to operate have been around for more than 50 years and are constantly being improved.
“The technology that makes the refineries work is over 50 years old and is being developed every day.”
He added that the refineries in Kaduna and Warri were built on budget and that they were initially operational before being halted due to the necessity for export permits and turn-around maintenance for traders.
“We built both Warri and Kaduna refineries on time and on budget and it was working for a while before export licensing, turn around maintenance to traders and so on made it stop.”
He believes that there are Nigerians who are qualified and willing to operate these refineries, but that the corruption at the top would prevent this from happening.
“We have good people in NNPC, but if the owner doesn’t want it to work, it won’t work.
The people should not be added to this. They are just consumers, they expect the refineries to work as they should.” He says
He closes by saying that he is willing to debate anyone who wants to contradict what he has stated and urges the media channel to get involved in the struggle to get the refineries back up and running as soon as possible.
Faith Ituen
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