The South-South Youths Initiative (SSYI) has called on the anti-graft agencies to investigate rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery.
The group in a statement issued on Monday in Port Harcourt by its President, Savior Imaebe urged the EFCC to also investigate the financial records of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
The group expressed deep concern over the near moribund condition of the Port Harcourt refinery despite huge funds so far invested by the federal government for its rehabilitation.
The group expressed sadness that, the reported $`1.5 billion approved for the refinery’s rehabilitation has not translated into the resumption of refining activities.
“We demand to know where the `$1.5 billion went, as the continuous postponement of operational deadlines has raised serious questions about the project,” the statement said.
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SSYI also referenced the loan secured during the administration of late former President Muhammadu Buhari for rehabilitation of the refinary noting that the facility was backed by crude oil allocations.
“What this means is that we are using crude oil from the Niger Delta to repay a loan for a refinery that is yet to become functional. This situation has become a major source of concern to the people of the region,” the group stated.
The group also declared its support for the ongoing investigation by the Senate Public Accounts Committee into the financial discrepancies reportedly identified in NNPCL’s audited records between 2017 and 2023.
