The Presidency on Thursday said the Federal
Government had no plan to sell any of the nation’s
refineries contrary to the news making the rounds
about the imminent sale of the facilities.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and
Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said this in an interview with
State House correspondents on Thursday.
It will be recalled that the Petroleum and Natural Gas
Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and the Nigeria Union
of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers had threatened
to embark on an industrial action this month if the
Federal Government refused to drop the idea of selling
the refineries.
In declaring the date for the commencement of the
strike, National President, PENGASSAN, Mr. Babatunde
Ogun, had said, “Our message is very clear; if between
now and December 24, 2013, the government fails to
cancel the planned privatisation of the refineries, we will
wait for the Yuletide period to come and then mobilise
between that time and the first week in January 2014;
the entire oil and gas workers in Nigeria will go on a
total strike and shut down the economy.”
But Abati on Thursday said there was no endorsement
from President Goodluck Jonathan for the planned sale
of the refineries.
He added that the Minister of Petroleum Resources,
Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, could not singlehandedly
sell any government property without the President’s
approval.
“The Federal Government will not sell the refineries.
There is no authorisation for anybody to do so; there is
no presidential endorsement. Even the minister does
not have the powers to sell government’s property,”
Abati declared.
The Head, Public Communication, Bureau of Public
Enterprises, Mr. Chigbo Anichebe, had said through a
statement in Abuja on December 20, 2013 that Jonathan
had approved the constitution of a steering committee
for the sale of the nation’s four refineries.
Anichebe had said the President also approved the
commencement of the privatisation of the refineries.
The four refineries are the Port Harcourt Refining
Company Limited I; Port Harcourt Refining Company
Limited II; Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company
Limited; and the Warri Refining and Petrochemical
Company Limited.
Anichebe had said, “In furtherance of the economic
reform programme of his administration, President
Jonathan has approved the commencement of the
privatisation of the nation’s four refineries by the BPE.
“This is in keeping with the transformation agenda,
which seeks to catalyse and provide an enabling
environment for the private sector to be the driver of
economic growth in the country.
“The President has also approved the constitution of a
steering committee on the privatisation process that
involves all relevant stakeholder ministries and
agencies.”
The members of the steering committee, which is
chaired by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, are the
ministers of Finance, Power, Labour and Productivity,
National Planning, Mines and Steel Development and
Justice.
Other members are the Chairman, Extractive Sub-
committee, National Council on Privatisation; Special
Adviser to the Vice-President on Economy; Group
Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation; Director-General, BPE; Group Executive
Director (Refineries), NNPC; Managing Directors of the
refineries and the Director (Oil and Gas), BPE, who will
serve as the secretary.


Source: www.punchng.com/news/jonathan-hasnt-approved-sale-of-refineries-says-abati/

[color=#990000][/color] I don't know wether president jonathan think Nigerias are fools how can u approve the setting up of privatization committe forprivatization of some ministry and u are now saying thru your spoke man that the goverment is not ready to sale them.if really it is true then why are the workers protesting and threatening to go on strike.We the youth of Nigeria this are things we are surpose to rise up against .If all are sold what is our future and those of our unborn children.Don't misunderstand me am not against privatilization but not the ones done by our so called leaders.Out of all the ones that they have done which one have make Nigeria to go forward All of them are fighting for their pockets and to secure the future of their unborn grand,greatgrand children and doesn't want to know what will happen to our own.Great nigerian youth this is worth protesting for or maybe our own leaders have been assure of their security and of their children.grand childre unborn A word is enough for the wise

On the contrary, selling them and retaining the right to regulate the price is the best security for the future!

When they say this govt is clueless, i didn't think it wil continue in this trend in 2014!

Why do u need to defend the fact to sell wen u av already set up a committe to make sure they sell?

They shld just av explained why its necessary to sell and not trying to make us look foolish...

[size=14pt]Fine.
BPE should use this year to concentrate on the sale of the remaining PHCN assets (Power Plants etc) and not get distracted. Sale of refineries could happen during second term after 2015 elections.[/size]

SLIDE waxie: On the contrary, selling them and retaining the right to regulate the price is the best security for the future!

When they say this govt is clueless, i didn't think it wil continue in this trend in 2014!

Why do u need to defend the fact to sell wen u av already set up a committe to make sure they sell?

They shld just av explained why its necessary to sell and not trying to make us look foolish...

Exactly! Gej's government is synonymous with cluelessness!

GEJ be guided.


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That was a tactless and reckless statement from Abati. He spoke as if the ministers are not working for govt. I wish those refineries would be sold as soon as possible. Govt should negotiate with the workers and sell the refineries.

So in dis obodo Nigeria we still have lueless touth who thought dat d only way our refinery can work fine is by selling dem.Ah! So if ur father have companies and some people ar bent on collapsing d companies u will now advice ur father to sell all d companies so as to make d companies to b better.Huh I pity dis country were d youth can boldly say dat all dat we can use to boast should b sold .Well on d other hand I believe those people dat ar sayin d refinery should b sold ar among people who ar goin to benefit from its sale.But let me add dis 'if u sell ur peolpe cheap u can never buy dem back very expensive'A word is enough for d wise

bos the only problem am having now is why should they retract from the proposed plan to privatize d refineries. do u knw hw much is being channelled to that sector every year yet they dont deliver. lemme ask u a questin if u own a bus n u give it out either on higher purchase or carry go work, everyday u fuel d car the driver will take it out make money n refund a lil to u. wen the vehicle breaks down he comes back to u for money to fix it, at the end of the day u pay him salary yet u dnt get the value f money being invested on the car. will u still be foolish to keep spending on the said car wen u aint gettng back the money u invested on it? that s exactly whats happening with ppmc n co, we still imports our fuel from other countries, we have workers that r being paid annually working in the refinery, yet we still import d commonest thng like kerosene, what r they refining please? is it sugar or palmoil? if privatization will help make things right in this country i vote for it 100percent