28 December 2012, Sweetcrude, Lagos – The management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, says Warri Refinery “is up and running”.
Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the Corporation, Mr Fidel Pepple, announced this in a press statement made available to newsmen in Lagos.
The refinery is being operated by the NNPC’s subsidiary, the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, WRPC.
Pepple said that the refinery had no maintenance issues to warrant it being shut down.
He said that the clarification became necessary to ease the anxiety generated by a newspaper report on Tuesday that the refinery had been shut down for a routine maintenance.
“There is no iota of truth in that report. The Warri Refinery is up and running and the day-to-day operations report from the refinery shows that it is producing at 63 per cent of its installed capacity.
“The plant has no immediate maintenance issues that would require it to be shut down for 21 days,” Pepple stated.
He urged the general public to discountenance the report, assuring that NNPC was making all efforts to ensure all-round products availability during the festive season.
Pepple also advised newsmen to verify information with relevant authorities before going to press.
“Misinformation could cause panic buying of fuel and aggravate the situation in the supply and distribution chain,” he stated.
