End refinery TAMs

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation should stop the endless Turnaround Maintenance contracts of the four moribund refineries. It was widely reported two weeks ago when the Minster of Petroleum Resources said that the NNPC was carrying out another TAM on all the refineries at a cost of N256bn. She said the contract would be awarded this year. To me, such a contract is unnecessary when the Idika Kalu committee report on the refineries has yet to be considered up till now. The committee recommended that the refineries should be sold to private investors for better management because it is obvious that the NNPC or any government cannot successfully manage the refineries. In order for the N256bn not to go down the drain, like the previous TAM contracts, the idea should be stopped until a final decision is taken on the Kalu Idika report. Government should stop the idea of importing fuel, because the system is characterised by large scale fraud. I believe the fraud connected with the current fuel subsidy scam is enough to build a new refinery which we have been clamouring for. Mr. President take note.

Johnson Alabi, 

Punch