The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has thrown its weight behind the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) over the recent agreement reached with Chinese firms aimed at reviving the nation’s struggling refineries, particularly the Warri and Port Harcourt facilities.
In a press release issued on Thursday, the National Executive President of NUPENG, Salimon Akanni Oladiti, described the agreement as a bold and strategic move capable of transforming Nigeria’s petroleum sector and reducing the nation’s heavy dependence on imported petroleum products.
According to him, the development represents a major step toward addressing the long-standing crisis that has plagued Nigeria’s refining industry for decades despite the country’s status as one of Africa’s leading oil-producing nations.
He noted that the continued collapse and underperformance of local refineries have contributed significantly to rising fuel prices, pressure on foreign exchange, inflation, unemployment, and worsening economic hardship across the country.
“The burden of unstable fuel supply, high transportation costs, and unbearable living conditions has continued to fall heavily on ordinary Nigerians and workers due to the failure of the nation’s refining sector,” the union stated.
NUPENG further emphasized that the partnership with the Chinese firms offers a fresh opportunity to reposition Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, restore confidence in local refining capacity, create employment opportunities, encourage industrial growth, and strengthen national energy security.
The union maintained that successful rehabilitation and operationalization of the refineries would drastically reduce the economic pressure associated with fuel importation while boosting local production and self-sufficiency.
Comrade Oladiti also warned against the repeated cycle of failed refinery rehabilitation promises that have consumed huge public funds over the years without delivering meaningful results.
He stressed that Nigerians are expecting transparency, accountability, professionalism, and measurable outcomes from the current agreement, adding that citizens can no longer afford another unsuccessful refinery rehabilitation initiative.
NUPENG called on all stakeholders, including government agencies, technical partners, industry regulators, and labour unions, to ensure proper implementation of the agreement for the benefit of the Nigerian people and the nation’s economy.
The union reaffirmed its commitment to supporting initiatives capable of revitalizing the downstream petroleum sector, protecting jobs, and improving the welfare of Nigerian workers.
Industry observers believe that if successfully implemented, the refinery revival project could significantly reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuel, stabilize the downstream sector, strengthen the naira by easing pressure on foreign exchange, and create thousands of direct and indirect jobs across the country.
The agreement is also expected to boost investor confidence in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector while positioning the country for greater energy independence and industrial expansion.
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