Kaduna Refinery to ‘End Petrol Scarcity in North in 2 Weeks’

John Shiklam in Kaduna

Officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC)‎ on Saturday stated that the crippling fuel scarcity in the northern part of the country will be over in the next two weeks following the completion of repairs on the vandalized pipelines supplying crude oil to Kaduna Refining and Petro-chemical Company (KRPC).

The officials also said the KRPC is ready to commence production.

The Group Executive Director (GED) and Chief Operating Officer (COO), Off-Stream sector, NNPC, Alhaji Bello Rabiu Barbuda, gave the assurance when he embarked on a facility tour of the KRPC Plant.

He disclosed that the Warri and Port Harcourt refineries were also set for adequate fuel supply in the country, saying the era of shortage of the petroleum product‎ supply will soon be over.

‎”As you can see, the whole country is under siege because of fuel supply. We are looking at the entire value chain to solve the problem.

“I come here to see the readiness of this refinery to be back on stream. We were actually having problem with the supply of crude oil to this place from Warri. It is about 640 kilometres line. That line is almost ready so that we would start pushing the crude here.

“At least in ten days, we would bring the crude to Kaduna, and about two or four days we would make everything ready.

“We want to make sure that in the next two weeks this refinery will be ready to start producing fuel. If that is done, the entire (northern) part of this country will be serviced with fuel.”

Babura told journalists in an interview shortly after touring the KRPC plant.

He noted that the plant is in good condition, adding that production will begin and nothing will stop it again.

“They will be ready to receive the crude soon and if the
crude comes, we believe that everything will run smoothly”.