&w=64&q=75)
President Bola Tinubu has assured organised labour and Nigerians generally that the Port Harcourt refinery will commence operations by December 2023.
The President disclosed this during a meeting with leaders of various labour unions at the State House, Abuja, on the evening of Wednesday, August 2, 2023.
The unions, represented by the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NCL), Comrade Joe Ajaero and that of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Festus Usifo, met Tinubu over the nationwide protest by workers earlier in the day.
According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Dele Alake, Tinubu promised organised labour, among others, that the refinery would be up and running by the end of the year.
"President Tinubu gave his commitment to the Labour leaders that the Port Harcourt refineries will start production by December 2023 after the completion of the ongoing rehabilitation contract between NNPCL and Italian firm, Maire Tecnimont SpA," Alake said.
Labour confirms Tinubu's promise
This has been corroborated by the statement issued late Wednesday by organised labour.
The labour leaders also stressed that Tinubu made a series of promises upon which they decided to return to the negotiations table.
They commended Nigerians for supporting the nationwide protest, adding that the engagement with the President was fruitful, with immense mileage obtained.
“It is pertinent to inform Nigerians that the extent of the success of the protest is underlined by the request of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu to meet with the leadership of the NLC and TUC in a closed-door session.
“The engagement was fruitful that immense mileage was obtained with regards to the issues that bogged down the work of the Presidential Committee on Subsidy removal and necessitated the protest viz; He committed to an immediate restructuring of the framework for engagement in line with the input of the Labour leaders.
“He let out a certainty that the Port Harcourt Refinery will commence production by December this year. He pledged to ensure that Agreement is reached on the Wage Award for Nigerian workers immediately.
“He promised to unveil a workable roadmap to the CNG alternative next week. On the strength of the president’s pledge and commitment, we have decided to return to a new and reinvigorated dialogue process to allow for full implementation.
“Once again, we thank Nigerians while we wait for the Government to fulfill its own part of the understanding as agreed with His Excellency; the President.”