Tinubu Assures NUPENG: Nigeria’s Refineries Will Be Revived, Repositioned for Profit

Tinubu Assures NUPENG: Nigeria’s Refineries Will Be Revived, Repositioned for Profit

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured the leadership of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) that Nigeria’s refineries will not be allowed to waste away, stressing that the Federal Government is determined to restore the facilities to productive and profitable operations.

President Tinubu gave the assurance on Thursday in Abuja when he received the National Executive of NUPENG, led by its National President, Comrade Salimon Akanni Oladiti, at the State House.

Responding to NUPENG’s appeal for the revival of the nation’s refineries, the President said the government would adopt a systematic and evidence-based approach to addressing the longstanding challenges confronting the facilities.

He explained that detailed research and technical assessments would be undertaken to identify the structural, operational, financial and managerial problems affecting the refineries and determine sustainable solutions.

President Tinubu stressed that simply seeing a refinery produce flames or smoke should not be regarded as evidence of successful operation, noting that the ultimate objective must be profitability, efficiency and value creation.

“The refineries that you mentioned are going to come back to work. We’re just building a very firm resetting and structural reworking of the economy of it. Ordinary flame and smoke of a refinery doesn’t mean that it’s working until it’s profitable and yields the value for which it is built,” the President said.

He said his administration had accepted responsibility for the assets and liabilities inherited from previous governments and would work to reposition the country’s critical infrastructure for the benefit of Nigerians.

“No matter what has happened in the years past, it’s now my responsibility as president to fix it and make it work for the greatest common good of our population. I take responsibility for that, and we will do it,” he added.

Tinubu Seeks Patience on Local Government Autonomy

On the issue of local government autonomy, President Tinubu said constitutional matters surrounding its implementation were being reviewed, with a view to possible adjustments.

He appealed to stakeholders to remain patient as the government works through the constitutional issues involved.

The President also recalled his longstanding relationship with the late former NUPENG President, Frank Kokori, whom he credited with playing an important role in Nigeria’s struggle for democracy.

“We struggled for this democratic dispensation together, and it was very tough for us to have this democracy,” Tinubu said, praying for the repose of Kokori’s soul.

He further assured NUPENG that its members would receive greater inclusion in the implementation of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative.

However, he challenged the union to ensure that the benefits of the CNG programme ultimately reach ordinary commuters and Nigerians.

NUPENG Commends Tinubu’s Reforms

Earlier, NUPENG President Salimon Oladiti commended President Tinubu for the removal of the fuel subsidy, describing the decision as courageous and necessary to end what he described as years of financial drain on the country.

Oladiti said the policy had created opportunities for government resources to be redirected towards infrastructure and other critical sectors of the economy.

He particularly praised the administration’s investment in federal highways, citing the ongoing 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and 1,068-kilometre Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway as major infrastructure projects.

According to him, improved roads have direct implications for the safety of tanker drivers and other road users.

“For our members, a good road is the difference between arriving home safely and never arriving at all,” Oladiti said.

He noted that rehabilitated and newly constructed highways would help reduce accidents, fuel spillages, loss of lives and the difficulties faced by motorists across the country.

The NUPENG leader, however, urged the President to sustain efforts towards reviving Nigeria’s refineries, stressing that functional refineries would strengthen energy security, reduce dependence on imported petroleum products and create additional employment opportunities for Nigerians.

Government Highlights Reform Gains

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who also attended the meeting, commended NUPENG for recognising what he described as positive outcomes of the administration’s reform agenda.

Idris said the growing understanding between the government and organised labour had helped reduce friction and create room for more constructive engagement.

He recalled previous engagements between President Tinubu and labour leaders, including the government’s decision to increase workers’ wages and its willingness to review the minimum wage when necessary.

The Minister described NUPENG’s acknowledgement of the administration’s reforms as significant, particularly coming from a major trade union at the heart of Nigeria’s petroleum industry.

He also cited the removal of the fuel subsidy and increased infrastructure development as key areas of the administration’s reform programme.

Tinubu Becomes NUPENG Grand Patron

The meeting ended on a symbolic note as the NUPENG leadership decorated President Tinubu as the Grand Patron of the union, further underscoring the renewed engagement between the Federal Government and the petroleum workers’ union.

President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to fixing Nigeria’s critical infrastructure, strengthening the energy sector and implementing reforms aimed at creating a more productive and prosperous economy.

He urged Nigerians to remain committed to the democratic process, promising that the government would continue working towards building a better Nigeria for its citizens.

Tinubu Assures NUPENG: Nigeria’s Refineries Will Be Revived, Repositioned for Profit