By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have demanded full accountability from the Nigerian National Pe...
By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have demanded full accountability from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over the handling of the Port Harcourt refinery repairs, following its reported shutdown despite billions spent on its rehabilitation.
Leading the call, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Head of Transparency International Nigeria, in conjunction with the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), condemned what he described as a pattern of mismanagement and corruption surrounding the project.
Rafsanjani expressed outrage at the situation, stating that the failure to deliver a functional refinery despite repeated allocations of public funds was emblematic of deeper issues in governance and public accountability.
“What Nigeria is facing today is the collapse of responsible governance and patriotism by public officials,” he said. “Everything revolves around the acquisition of public funds, not service. Otherwise, it’s hard to explain why, since the Obasanjo administration, billions have been poured into turnaround maintenance of these refineries—Port Harcourt, Warri, Kaduna—with nothing to show for it.”
He emphasized that the contractors and public officials involved in the refinery's repairs must be held responsible for the outcome and made to account for the funds expended.
“Nigerians deserve to know what happened. Was the money misused? Was the work poorly done? Where is the money? Those responsible must return it. If the new NNPCL leadership does not take steps to recover these funds, then any reforms they propose will be considered wasteful and disingenuous,” Rafsanjani asserted.
He further condemned the shutdown of the refinery, noting that it underscores the extent of insincerity and systemic corruption in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
“It is shameful. After spending huge amounts of taxpayers’ money, the refinery is closed again. This clearly shows how corruption has taken centre stage in our country,” he added.
Rafsanjani warned that unless transparency and accountability are enforced, particularly in the oil sector, Nigeria’s economic development will continue to be undermined.
He concluded by urging the NNPCL and government agencies to explain the circumstances surrounding the failed repairs and take immediate steps to recover public funds misappropriated in the name of refinery rehabilitation.
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