Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State has faulted the planned rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery with $1.5bn.
Speaking on Channels Television on Friday, Fayemi berated the Federal Government for failing to provide more information to justify the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery.
The Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) noted that the planned project is a waste, noting that a private refinery built by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote is underway.
Fayemi said “I wouldn’t have taken that decision given the fact that we know that a big refinery, private-sector driven is coming on stream but I don’t have the information that led to that decision at first.
“When you are outside a decision-making frame, there is some information that may not be available to you if you look at it at the pure face value. It may not be justifiable but we don’t have all the information responsible for that decision.”
Recall that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timpire Sylva, had disclosed that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on March 17 approved his ministry’s plan to rehabilitate the refinery with $1.5bn.
Speaking with reporters after the FEC meeting on Wednesday, Sylva said the first phase will be completed in 18 months which takes the refinery to a production of 90 percent of its capacity, the second phase will be completed in 24months, while the final phase will be completed in 44months.