Sources: Sabotage, vandalism preventing complete rehabilitation of PH refinery

The Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) is experiencing sabotage and acts of vandalism, hampering efforts to commence production, TheCable understands.

Speaking to TheCable on Wednesday, sources in the know said there have been organised acts of vandalism at the plant.

Vandals were said to have been caught cutting cables and stealing equipment from the refinery.

According to an insider, presently, there is also an ongoing blockade at the entrance of the refinery preventing work from commencing.

“Hundreds of people are currently gathered at the PHRC entrance, preventing workers from doing their jobs and vowing that the refinery restart will not proceed,” the source said.

On December 21, 2023, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited announced the completion of the mechanical rehabilitation on a section of the Port Harcourt refinery.

Mele Kyari, group chief executive officer (GCEO) of NNPC, had said the refinery would begin production by the end of March, but this has not happened.

TheCable had reported on July 9 that the presidency expressed concerns over the NNPC’s failure to deliver critical projects including the Port Harcourt refinery.

But Heineken Lokpobiri, minister of state for petroleum resources (oil), said such projects often take time, adding that the refinery is at its final rehabilitation stage.

On July 15, the national oil company said the Port Harcourt refinery would begin operations in early August.