Around noon on November 22, 2023, when the press crew visited the obsolete-looking refinery complex, many of the staff engaged by the contractors were filing out of the gate for a lunch break.
The atmosphere and surroundings of the multibillion investment were fully charged, with various categories of staff moving from one place to another taking orders from their supervisors on what to do. However, the reality on the ground did not show any sign that the project would be handed over in December.
Dr. Joseph Obele, the executive chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), whose association was accorded the privilege of the oversight function of monitoring the progress of work at the ongoing rehabilitation work, expressed doubt that the December completion date would be feasible.
Obele told our correspondent that it was on record that the federal government borrowed $ 1.5 billion from AFRIEX Bank for the repair of the refinery.
He said the former Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, informed them that the refinery would commence operation in the second quarter of this year, but that promise failed. He added that another date in the first quarter of this year also failed.
