President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured that Nigeria’s refineries will be revived after comprehensive research, restructuring and technical assessments to address their operational and management challenges.
Tinubu gave the assurance on Thursday in Abuja when he received the national executive of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), led by its President, Comrade Salimon Akanni Oladiti, at the State House.
The President said the government would not allow the refineries to waste away, considering the huge investments made in them over the years.
He stressed that the facilities must not merely operate but must be profitable and deliver the value for which they were established.
Tinubu also promised greater inclusion of NUPENG in the implementation of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), urging the union to ensure the benefits of the programme reach commuters.
NUPENG President, Comrade Oladiti commended the President for removing fuel subsidy, describing the decision as courageous and one that has freed resources for infrastructure development.
He, however, urged the Federal Government to sustain efforts to revive the refineries, saying functional refineries would strengthen energy security, reduce dependence on imported petroleum products and create jobs.
The union also commended ongoing road construction nationwide, particularly the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway.
Following the meeting, NUPENG decorated President Tinubu as the Grand Patron of the union.
