Less than one month after the Port Harcourt Refining Company appeared to have resumed production, the facility has stopped working.

Our correspondent, who visited the refinery on Thursday, December 19, 2024, observed that the lifting of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) had stopped.

It was gathered that lifting of petrol actually stopped since December 13, as the 18-arm loading bay of the new Port Harcourt refinery was empty.

While about 18 trucks littered the stretch of the busy road leading to the refinery itself, nine trucks were spotted inside the parking yard, while the loading bay was empty.

The depot, which is usually a beehive of activities where tankers scramble for space at the parking yard, was a shadow of itself with literally no vehicular or human activity relating to operations.

$1.5bn celebration

Recall that the inauguration of the 60,000 barrel per day production capacity plant by the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, was met with celebration and fanfare. This was after $1.5bn was approved in March 2021 and spent on the rehabilitation of the facility.

During the re-opening of the facility, there was lifting of petrol to the excitement of the cheering crowd.

However, less than 10 trucks of petrol were lifted that day as against widespread claims that about 200 trucks carried petrol out of the bay.

Our correspondent also reported that no sooner had Kyari returned to Abuja than things returned to the old way, amidst allegations by stakeholders that the petrol lifted during the inauguration was old stock from the storage tank.

When our correspondent first visited the refinery three weeks ago, it was discovered that the loading bay was deserted without the lifting of products.

In response to the discovery, the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria said operations were scaled down due to the calibration of meters at the loading bay and de-watering of the old stock, which had to be emptied to pave the way to receiving newly refined products.

A fortnight ago, tanker drivers drove in and started loading once again.

Journalists were also taken on a guided tour of the refinery, led by its Managing Director, Ibrahim Onoja.

Onoja stated, “The plant is running and we are trucking out our products. We have carried out an extensive revamp of this plant and changed most of the equipment.

“The pump and instrumentation, the cables are all brand new. So what we have done here is massive change and upgrade of the plant.”

Afterward, there was marked improvement as about 11 trucks lifted products, even as it was better the next day.

Back to default

However, when Saturday PUNCH visited on Thursday, it was learnt that production activities stopped one week ago.

A handful of drivers were seen sleeping in their trucks while doing nothing.

One of them, who spoke Hausa, said he learned the lifting of PMS would resume next Monday.

He, however, expressed doubt about the information as he counted the number of days with his fingers and muttered, “Three days; they said they would load on Monday.”

The number of workers and visitors could easily be counted as there were more security men clad in black trousers and blue shirts.

The guards were stationed at the entrance of the depot and the loading bay, and inside the loading bay itself. They kept themselves busy as they chatted away.

Speaking to our correspondent, another truck driver said, “It was Friday last week they loaded last. About 15 trucks or so loaded that day. Since then, not even a single truck has been loaded till now.”

Asked if any explanation was given, he replied, “I don’t know. Nobody is giving us any information or telling us anything. Some trucks that were here have left. I’m just here because my director said I should wait a bit.”

Meanwhile, a petroleum product marketer, Dappa Jubobaraye, has decried the state of refineries in the country.

Jubobaraye alleged that since Kyari inaugurated the plant, no production had taken place, pointing out that everything was just a show.

He stated, “It was intended to deceive Nigerians that the refinery is working and that is why they came up with that show. That day, only about four or five trucks loaded products.

“The loading meter was not calibrated before they started operation. Of the 18 loading arms at the bay only three are working and they have leakages. So, they have been trying to load three, four, five trucks, sometimes 10 just to show that they are working while they are not working.

“Since Mele Kyari came and left, the independent marketers have yet to load products from this depot because the NNPC is yet to fix prices for them to buy tickets and start loading products. They are only loading them to their own mega stations.

“The situation right now is that loading of PMS is not taking place because they don’t have the intention to make this place work. It is just to deceive the people.

“If you come into this place (depot), you will see trucks packed and think that loading is on; but the truth is that they are not working. Some tanker drivers have gone because they can’t come and waste time here.”

He continued, “How can you come here with the hope of loading and you stay here with your truck for two weeks, for what? Before the work stopped last week, they were loading up to 10, 15 but below 20.

“Ordinary one of the arms in the loading bay can load up to 20 to 30 trucks in a day. But for now, they are using only three arms out of the 18 loading arms inside the bay and the three are just for PMS alone. They have not started loading DPK (kerosene) and AGO (diesel). And kerosene is what concerns the ordinary more.”

Efforts to reach the spokesperson for the NNPC, Femi Soneye, were abortive as he did not take his calls or respond to a text message sent to him as of the time of filing this report.

Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, says the country needs to invest $20 billion annually to achieve the government’s economic targets by 2027.

Edun spoke on Friday during the citizens and stakeholders engagement on the implementation of presidential priorities and ministerial deliverables for the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2024, in Abuja.

The minister said the additional $20 billion per year was required to grow the economy by an average of 6.3 percent in the medium term.

“We need significantly more growth, an additional $20 billion is the target we need for social infrastructure to facilitate logistics for agriculture,” he said.

The minister also said the government would rely primarily on increased revenue to meet the ambitious target.

He said there was a need for a robust tax revenue framework to secure the necessary funding, adding that sustainable economic growth hinged on the strategy. 

“To achieve this target and grow the economy, the government can only secure the funds from revenue,” Edun said.

“Tax revenue needs to be increased to reach the desired levels.”

He said controlling the fiscal deficit and ensuring a stable exchange rate would boost investor confidence.

According to Edun, it will lead to more business activity in the country and increased tax revenue from investments.

“Once the deficit and exchange rate are under control, it will encourage investors to come and do business in Nigeria. In turn, they will pay their taxes,” he said.

Edun further said President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda had been a huge success.

On her part, Doris Uzoka-Anite, minister of state for finance, said the federal ministry of finance, just like every other ministry, has a bilateral engagement with departments and agencies under its supervision to report the ministry’s performance quarterly.

“The two major revenue generating agencies under the supervision of the ministry are the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and Nigeria Custom service,” Uzoka-Anite said.

“They performed above their target and this is highly commendable.”

Uzoka-Anite said all the agencies under the ministry have performed well.

N50TRN BUDGET FOR 2025

Edun said the government projects a N50 trillion budget for 2025, with N35 trillion in expected revenue, nearly doubling 2024 levels.

According to the minister, the plan is to focus on strategic investments and robust reforms.

“To achieve this goal, the government has implemented subsidy reforms, which have stabilized the macroeconomic environment, reducing the fiscal deficit to 4.4 percent and debt service-to-revenue ratio from 149 percent in 2023 to 67 percent,” Edun said.

“Foreign reserves have also grown significantly, reaching $42 billion.

“The plan focuses on several key sectors, including energy, agriculture, industry, and social protection.

“Investments in compressed natural gas, LPG, and renewable energy are accelerating, while efforts to achieve food security include large-scale farming programs.

“Nigeria is also leveraging its digital economy, with startups dominating Africa’s unicorn landscape.”

Edun said with the comprehensive plan, Nigeria is poised to achieve sustainable growth and poverty reduction, improving the quality of life for all Nigerians.

A court of appeal in Kaduna has ruled that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) should not impound foreign rice in the open market or on highways.

In a judgment delivered on December 6, a three-member panel of justices led by Ntong Ntong held that existing laws restrict NCS’ enforcement to land borders only.

The judgment was delivered in an appeal filed by the NCS, against a decision of the federal high court that acquitted one Suleiman Mohammed, a businessman, of charges related to the importation of rice.

BACKGROUND

Customs had arrested Mohammed after seizing a truck carrying 613 bags of foreign rice and 80 bags of millet belonging to the businessman on June 14, 2019, along the Kaduna-Zaria expressway.

Mohammed was charged and arraigned on a two-count charge.

However, in a judgment delivered on November 10, 2021, Z. B. Abubakar, trial judge, acquitted the defendants of the charges.

Abubakar held that the plaintiffs (customs) failed to adduce enough evidence to prove that the defendant imported the goods.

The judge also held that there is no subsisting blanket ban on the importation of foreign rice as claimed by the plaintiffs.

“…the evidence led by the prosecution through PW1, PW2, PW3 and the Exhibits tendered has not established that the Defendant imported Exhibit ‘NCS B1-B612’. Even the investigation conducted by the complainant (Nigeria Customs Service Board) on Exhibit ‘NCS B1-B612,” the judge held.

“As a matter of fact, Exhibit ‘NCS D’ could not reveal who imported the said Exhibits or where they imported from.

“It should be borne in mind that importation of foreign rice is not absolutely or totally prohibited. It is only importation of the product through the land borders of this country that was proscribed by the Federal Government vide Circular No. NCS/TXT/1XE/045/S.416/VOL.1X of 18th March, 2016. The circular provided that foreign rice only be imported into the country through seaports.”

The trial judge held that the prosecution failed to show that the goods were imported through land borders, adding that “the said exhibits could have been imported through the seaport, and the court is entitled to presume so”.

Furthermore, the lower court held that “loading any foreign rice into a truck is not an offence under both Sections 46(b) and 47(1) (a) (ii) of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) (Supra)”.

“It is the landing or unloading of goods or foreign rice at designated customs port CA/K/33/C/2022 or wharf that is prohibited by the aforementioned provisions of the Act,” the judge ruled. 

‘APPEAL IS A HOAX’

Aggrieved by the trial court’s judgment, NCS filed an appeal.

However, the appellate court commended the trial court judge for “doing justice in the evaluation of the law and evidence adduced before it”. 

Ntong said he agreed with the arguments put forward by the respondent’s lawyer and the judgment of the trial court.

“Truly, I also agree with the learned trial judge, that Kaduna-Zaria expressway is not a “Land border” as stipulated by the law and Exhibit “NCS D,” the justice held.

“Importation of foreign rice in any wise is not generally prohibited. It is restricted to land borders alone.

“If I were in the shoes of the appellant (NCS), I would have honourably thrown in the towel as this appeal is simply a hoax, a fluke and unmeritorious whatsoever.

“From the evidence in the Record of Appeal, the Respondent was merely a purchaser for value and not an importer. The Appellant ought to have arrested the importer and not a mere purchaser from open market with a receipt of purchase Exhibit NCS D.

“How can a fowl leave to attack who killed it to pursue who is de-feathering it? This is an Annang-African Idiom that means the Appellant ought not to shut its eyes away from the importer and be chasing petty traders and consumers who buy from the open market. After all prohibited or contraband goods always pass through the borders which are the beats of the Appellant.”

Consequently, the court dismissed the appeal in favour of the respondents.

The court further ordered customs to return all the goods seized from the businessman in 2019 or pay him the money equivalent.

“Consequently, the Appellant is hereby ordered to release or cause the release of the 613 bags of foreign rice, 80 bags of millet, Exhibit “C” and DAF truck with Registration Number: 57 BS 45 impounded and confiscated from the Respondent on 14th June, 2019 to the said Respondent Suleiman Mohammed or his representative forthwith,” the judge ruled.

“Where it has become difficult or impossible to return the items aforesaid, the Appellant shall pay to the Respondent a sum of money equivalent to the current price or cost of the items aforementioned.”

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for the suspension of the tax bill currently before the National Assembly, emphasizing the need for more inclusive consultations with Nigerian workers.

In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja, NLC President, Joe Ajaero, alongside General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, highlighted the deepening crisis during the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Owerri.

The union criticized the politicization of the bill, stating that it failed to account for the concerns of essential stakeholders, diminishing its potential to effectively boost the economy.

“Only through inclusive dialogue can we ensure a just and equitable tax system that benefits all citizens,” Ajaero said.

The union also urged the Federal Government to urgently address the ongoing cash scarcity that has plagued the country, urging swift action to alleviate the economic burden on citizens.

Ajaero expressed the NEC’s deep concern over the persistent scarcity, which he described as an “exploitative burden” on the already struggling population.

He noted that Nigerians are losing up to five percent of their funds every time they withdraw cash, an unsustainable situation that worsens the financial struggles of millions.

The NLC president called for immediate intervention from the government and urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to take effective steps to ensure the availability of cash for everyday transactions, particularly to support small businesses and stimulate economic activity.

“The impact of this on small businesses and other informal economy operatives is huge, as the situation poses serious disproportionate challenges to the poor and struggling workers and masses.

“The NLC demands immediate government intervention to rectify this systemic failure and protect citizens’ financial rights.

“We expect the Central Bank Governor to take steps to ensure that cash is made available to the citizenry to enable small business transactions and stimulate economic growth,” he said.

The NEC also voiced grave concerns about the rising insecurity in Nigeria, citing troubling reports that Nigerians paid over N2.23 trillion in ransom this year alone due to the increasing frequency of crime incidents.

Ajaero stressed the need for urgent government action to restore security, protect citizens, and ensure that the rule of law prevails.

“This appalling state of insecurity underscores the urgent need for the government to take decisive action to safeguard lives and property, restore public confidence, and ensure the rule of law prevails.

“The majority of the citizens who either lost their lives or are maimed as a result are workers,” he said.

Furthermore, the NLC condemned the recent invasion of the NLC Edo State Council Secretariat by police and the state governor.

Ajaero described the invasion as a flagrant violation of workers’ rights, including the unlawful removal of items and an attempt to impose an illegitimate leadership.

The NEC has given the Edo State government and the police a deadline of 14 working days, until January 8, 2025, to vacate the premises, return all confiscated items, and halt any further interference in union activities.

“This brazen act of impunity included the ransacking of properties and the unlawful removal of items, all in a bid to impose an illegitimate leadership on the workers.

“The NEC, therefore, resolved to give the Edo State government and the police a deadline of 14 working days, up to January 8, 2025, to vacate the secretariat.

“They should return all confiscated properties to Congress and commit to refraining from further interference in trade union activities,” he said.

Ajaero warned that failure to comply would lead to significant actions by the NLC to defend the rights of workers.

“The NEC, therefore, reaffirms its unwavering commitment to defending the rights and welfare of workers and the broader Nigerian populace,” Ajaero said.

He concluded by encouraging Nigerians to remain hopeful and united during the festive season, despite the numerous challenges facing the country.