$1.5bn refinery repair: Nigerians should hold me accountable for every dollar, says Sylva

Timipre Sylva, minister of state for petroleum, says Nigerians should hold him accountable “for every dollar, every cent” spent on the Port Harcourt refinery.

The minister said The Buhari-led administration wants to leave behind a legacy of functional refineries for Nigerians.

The country has four refineries — two in Port Harcourt and one each in Kaduna and Warri — with a combined capacity of 445,000 barrels per day.

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On Wednesday, the federal executive council (FEC) meeting approved $1.5 billion for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery.

The approval has since elicited harsh reactions from various quarters, particularly from notable Nigerians like Atedo Peterside, Peter Obi, and Atiku Abubakar.

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Speaking on Channels Television, Sunday, Sylva reiterated that the Buhari administration means well.

“They (Nigerians) can hold me accountable and hold this government accountable for every dollar, every cent on this refinery and ensure that we deliver a refinery that works,” he said.

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“What President Muhammadu Buhari wants to leave as a legacy are refineries that are functional.

“That is really where we are looking at because what is going to happen to those refineries will be decided by Nigerians and future administration.”

The minister also said that the rehabilitation will take 18 months and the first phase will get the refinery to 90 percent operational capacity.

“We’re not lying to Nigerians. We’ve told you that this is going to be in three phases and the first phase is definitely going to be within the tenure of this administration,” he said.

“You should hold us. It is 18 months and we are going to take the refinery to 90 percent of its main capacity and that is what you should hold us to.”