By Ephraim Oseji

Chairman/ CEO of DAS Energy Services Limited, Chief Sunny Onuesoke has expressed concern about the Warri refinery’s inability to produce petrol, despite receiving a large investment for maintenance. He lamented that the refinery which has a capacity of 125,000 barrels per day, was shut down barely a month after being declared operational.

Onuesoke who expressed his grievances in a telephone chat with our correspondent, argued that non-functioning of the Warri Refinery is a major cause of concern given its impact on the nation’s fuel supply and economic stability, stressing that the refinery’s prolonged shutdown, following a costly but ultimately unsuccessful revamp, has fueled public frustration.

The former Delta State gubernatorial aspirant wondered that despite billions of dollars spent on repairs and modernization, the Warri refinery have failed to achieve sustainable operation, thereby raising questions about the effectiveness of the revamp efforts.

According to him,”Nigerians are expressing frustration with the ongoing delays and the perceived failure of the refinery to meet the country’s needs.

Over the years, from one administration to another and under various petroleum ministers and group managing directors, it has been the same tale. Huge sums of money ostensibly spent to either revamp or conduct turnaround maintenance with outlandish promises to bring the refinery to operation but which yielded little or next to nothing.”

He maintained that the status of Warri refinery which the government had commissioned was allegedly a hoax further stressing that as it is presently, the refinery can never operate as it should despite the billions of dollars purportedly spent to put them back into operation.

When asked why? He responded saying, “The refinery has had problems for many years, so it needed complete repair and overhaul and not just small fixes because the technical operations have been left to go aground.

“If the solution to the rot in the refinery is to privatise it, then the experience of the private Dangote Refinery is instructive. The refinery, which was built on the hope of covering up the slack in domestic supply by the non-performance of the four local refineries, has been running the gauntlet of NNPCL’s disruptive practices since its inception to date,” he noted.

Onuesoke is of the view that if the Warri refinery could be made to come on board, it would not only solve the interest of resolving the fuel problem in the country, it will lead to reduction in the dollar exchange rate, which should, in turn, lower the prices of goods and services and thereby easing the financial burden on Nigerians.

“If the refinery is producing essential petroleum products like petrol, diesel and kerosene, this local production could lead to a decrease in fuel prices, making transportation and logistics more affordable. Lower transportation costs often translate to reduced prices for goods, benefiting both businesses and consumers.

“It will equally improve the social life and reduce insecurity in Delta State and its environs hence it will provide jobs for youths and encouraged other side businesses of buying, selling and provision of essential services. In short the revamping of the refinery will keep the people of Delta state busy in all ramifications,” he observed.