Against the backdrop of calls to sell the Port Harcourt refinery, a group of patriotic Nigerians under the aegis of Network of Concerned Citizens (NCC) has urged the Federal Government and the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) not to accede to such demands.

A statement signed by the Secretary of the group, Dr David Kingleo Elijah, stated that such a move will amount to moving the country backwards. It, therefore, urged the management of NNPCL to complete the high-grade rehabilitation and retention of the plant.

The group further said that none of the national assets should be sold, but preserved for future generations. According to the group, the sale of national patrimony will only benefit a select few to the detriment of the country.

The group stated: “Selling the refinery, which is one of Nigeria’s most critical national assets, could spell doom for the country’s strategic interests and leave it vulnerable to exploitation by hawks in the sector.

“If only a few private companies control the energy sector, that could have disastrous consequences. It could lead to a monopoly, whereby prices could be arbitrarily fixed, thus harming consumers.”

The NCC argued that making the refinery operational will naturally stabilise the price of petroleum products and reduce the dependence on private refineries, which do not guarantee national energy security.

The group stated: “The first thing to do is to pay contractors their outstanding dues. Thereafter, they should be mobilised back to the site to finish whatever outstanding job.

“The Port Harcourt refinery should be immediately revived to avoid unnecessary delays that could sabotage the vision of President Bola Tinubu.

“To be clear, during the time the refinery was operational, economic activities boomed within the host communities, petty traders celebrated, and people were engaged. More importantly, prices of petroleum products were stable on average, as industry players competed.

“The Port Harcourt refinery, if fully operational, can provide jobs and generate revenue for the government. Selling them could result in job losses and a reduction in government income.”

The group recalled that privatisation carried out in the past did not favour the country, as it was fraught with irregularities. According to them, not much benefit, if any, accrued from national assets, including the Eleme Petrochemicals Company and various components of the former NEPA, sold by previous administrations.