Those faulting the decision to invite competent private companies to operate and maintain the would-be repaired NNPC-refineries have not diligently studied the recurring challenges in Nigeria’s Downstream petroleum sub sector. I so aver with a profound sense of responsibility.
The unflattering history of these refineries are well known. Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent on Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) to have them functioning optimally, but no sooner than they are back on-stream than the plants start malfunctioning.
And, most disconcerting of all, in the short period in which they managed to function, aggregate plant availability (capacity utilisation) is 30 per cent. (For petroleum refineries, the figure should be in excess of 70 per cent for viability).
Therefore, one thing is certain: it is either those refineries were sub-standard, ab initio, or the personnel operating and maintaining them lack the requisite competences to optimally run…
Read More
