On Thursday, March 13, Nigerians received news once again that the Port Harcourt Refinery would be operational within two weeks. Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), made this announcement during an interactive session with the Senate. He assured Nigerians that the delivery date for the Port Harcourt and other refineries remained firm.
According to the spokesperson for NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye, Kyari stated, “We will make sure that promises that we made about the rehabilitation of these refineries are kept. We completed the mechanical completion of PHRC in December. Now, we have crude oil already stocked in it. It is currently undergoing regulatory compliance tests before we re-stream it. I assure you that this refinery will start in next two weeks.”
Kyari further mentioned that the Port Harcourt refinery had received 450,000 barrels of crude for processing since the mechanical completion of the plant in December last year.
In response, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, praised Tinubu’s dedication to education, highlighting the President’s commitment to ensuring access to education for all school-age children.
The minister stated that the public hearing would allow further input to improve the bill for the benefit of Nigerian students.
Senator Muntari Dandutse, Chairman of the committee, underscored the importance of quality higher education, noting that initiatives like the student loan scheme would lead to a brighter future for youths and the nation as a whole.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, represented by Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, expressed optimism that the legislative agenda of the 10th National Assembly would significantly improve the standard of living for Nigerians. He commended Tinubu for supporting Nigerian students through the loan scheme, recognizing its potential to enhance access to education and economic development.