Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited (PHRC) has said efforts are on to make Port Harcourt Refinery functional by December as guaranteed by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva.
The minister, while briefing journalists after the Federal Executive Council meeting last month, restated the government’s commitment to reviving the old refinery in Rivers State before the year ends.
The Managing Director of PHRC, Ahmed Dikko, yesterday, while handing over 140 stalls constructed by the firm for its host community, Ekerekana in Okrika Council of Rivers State, said: “The December pronouncement by the minister to ensure that the refinery becomes functional is in focus and all of us have to key in and do everything possible to achieve the objective of our leaders, that is the objective and that is what we are doing.”
He noted that the refinery would bring so much value to the government and to the people.
He said: “On the rehabilitation of pipeline, already the contractor has taken the survey. The pipeline is near the right of the river way, you need to study it, and do an inspection to prepare the engineering documents to be able to work. Already, there is preliminary work going on and we are on the verge of awarding the contract so that works will move on.
“The refinery has a multiplier effect. Right now, we sell all our crude oil, we don’t add much value to it because all our nation’s refineries are not working due to one reason or the other and that is why the company, the community and everyone is doing everything possible to ensure our refinery works.
The Managing Director, who was represented by Mr. Sheik Mohammed, explained that the market project is key to the firm because it has pipelines running from the jetty, very close to the right of way where the people do business.
He said: “As a company, we have safety hierarchy, safety to the environment and safety to the assets. One life is not equal to the whole refinery, so we have to do everything possible to build this market for the people and safeguard the people’s life, their health, the children and the women.”
He urged the market women and others, using the pipeline right of way for trading to relocate completely to the new facility in the interest of safety and development of the community.
The Chairman of Okrika Council, Mr. Akuro Tobin, lauded the project and urged the firm to continue with the works, which will attract development to the area.
