NIGERIAN engineers have attributed the moribund state of the nation’s refineries to the Federal Government’s interference in their management.
In a submission by the Executive Committee and Fellows of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) in Warri, Delta State, the professionals stated that “government has no business running the refineries.”
And to put the refineries on course, the NSE has proposed the adoption of a joint venture business model similar to that used for managing the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited.
They spoke during a courtesy visit to the Warri Refining and Petrochemicals Company (WRPC) Limited, Ekpan-Warri, at the weekend.
The engineers observed that poor capacity utilisation of the Warri Refinery and others in the country was the direct result of government’s action and inaction and decried the ‘red-tapism’ associated with the disbursement of funds to the plants.
Led by their chairman Mr. Asa Pokima, the engineers were received by Sylvester Idemudia, Manager, Maintenance, on behalf of the management of the refinery.
The NSE also expressed concern over the plight of oil workers
Only last week during a visit to Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Western Operation, the engineers had empathised with the General Manager, Cor Zegelaar, over the closure of a significant part of the company’s operations in the past one year due to the activities of Niger Delta militants.
They said that if the Federal Government had provided basic amenities for the citizenry, the current state of unrest in that part of the country would have been averted.
The NSE observed that it was government that provides infrastructure to communities all over the world and wondered why oil companies in Nigeria were being coerced to execute such projects.
“What has become of all the tax and royalties paid to government by the oil companies?” they queried.
“The difficulties experienced by these companies are threatening the livelihood of the members,” Pokima said.
The NSE has however endorsed the Nigerian Content Development Policy as it stated that the measure would create room for engineers to play greater roles in the oil and gas sector.