Federal Government urged to withhold funds ear-marked for refineries

The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) of the nation’s four refineries on Thursday urged the Federal Government to withhold 1.8 billion dollars earmarked for the exercise.

The Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Rep. Garba Datti (Kaduna-APC), made the call at a news briefing in Abuja,saying the fund should only be released after the conclusion of the committee’s  investigation.

“We have written to the Minister of Petroleum Resources, the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources and the Group Managing Director of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC), not to release any money for maintenance pending the outcome of our investigations,”Datti said.

He said that the committee  would find a way of resolving the epileptic operations of the four refineries in the country “in the course of our investigation” which will last three months.

Datti described the committee’s assignment as “a sensitive investigation that requires time”.

READ: Eko Refinery and Petrochemicals to commence refinery construction

On the lingering fuel scarcity in the country, the former Deputy Minority Whip in the House, said Nigeria remained the only country that is a member of OPEC that is importing fuel.

“Despite the quantity of crude allocated to the four  refineries we still import finished products”, he said.

On the committee’s terms of reference, Datti said it had the mandate  to ascertain the viability of continuing investments in the nation’s four refineries and allocation of 445,000 barrels per day of crude  oil to the refineries.

“Secondly,  to determine the current utilisation level of Warri, Kaduna and Port Harcourt refineries and thirdly carry out a comprehensive investigation on the Turn Around Maintenance carried out to date on the four refineries.

He said the committee was also to  identify the private and corporate individuals that have refused to utilise the licences to build refineries and the readiness and status of all current holders.