The organised labour in the oil industry,the Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers,PENGASAN are worried stiff over why the much publicized Dangotte Refineries is yet to commence production a month after the initial August date.
It will be recalled that the 650,000 barrels per day facility commencement day was due for August as announced by the President, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote.
While delivering his speech at the official commissioning of the refinery by former President Muhammadu Buhari in May, he said, “Your excellencies, distinguished guests, our first product will be in the market before the end of July or beginning of August this year.”
However, no drop of refined petroleum product from the refinery has hit the market weeks after the promised production deadline, according to findings.
Spokesperson for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Garba Deen in June, said that the company would cut down its fuel imports programme in August, once the Dangote Refinery began to push out refined petroleum products latest August.
A top source among the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria also confirmed that NNPCL had cut down importation.
Corroborating Deen, while speaking to journalists after a meeting with oil marketers in Abuja, also in June, the Chief Executive, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency, Farouk Ahmed, also said NNPCL had cut down on importation.
Officials of the Communications Department of Dangote Refinery could not speak on the matter as of press time.
