The Federal Government, has said that the Port Harcourt Refining and Petrochemical Company in Rivers State has resumed operations.
The refinery had been in comatose for many years despite many turn around maintenance.
But the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, said the refinery resumed operations on December 20, 2023, as, according to him, the first phase of work at the plant had been completed.
He also said that refined petroleum products would start flowing from the refinery after the Christmas break.
Lokpobiri, spoke on Thursday when he led members of the Refinery Steering Committee to inspect the facility, congratulated the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and Nigerians in general for the feat.
He said: ““The meeting today coincides with the commencement of operations at the Port Harcourt refinery,” Lokpobiri stated at the refinery.
“This is to announce to Nigerians that in fulfillment of our pledge to complete phase one of the Port Harcourt refinery by the end of 2023, and the subsequent streaming of phase two in 2024, we happily announce the mechanical completion of flare start-up on December 20, 2023.
“This heralds the commencement of the production of petroleum products after the Christmas break. We want to thank Nigerians for their patience and trust in the NNPC to deliver on our promise and mandate in the rehabilitation of our refineries.”
The Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Mele Kyari, said the employees of the company worked day and night for over 9.6 million man-hours to get the refinery back on stream.
