President Bola Tinubu has given his commitment to the leaders of organised labour that the Port Harcourt Refinery will start production by December 2023 after the completion of the ongoing rehabilitation contract on the facility between the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Italian firm, Maire Tecnimont SpA.
This was the fallout of the meeting between the president and the labour leaders at the State House on Wednesday evening hours after nationwide protests by the unionists over the removal of petrol subsidy by the Tinubu government.
Consequently, the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) led by its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero and that of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Festus Usifo, are expected to give directive to workers to end further protests.
According to a statement by the outgoing presidential spokesman, Dele Alake, consequent upon the fruitful and frank discussion with President Tinubu and their confidence in his ability to encourage open and honest consideration of all the issues put forward by the labour movement, the labour leaders resolved to stop further protest on petrol subsidy removal.
Alake said they opted for further constructive engagement with the government to resolve all outstanding issues as they affect the working people and Nigerians in general.
“President Tinubu gave his commitment to the Labour leaders that the Port Harcourt refineries will start production by December 2023 after the completion of the ongoing rehabilitation contract between NNPCL and Italian firm, Maire Tecnimont SpA.
“President Tinubu assured the labour leaders that he would continue to work for the best interest of Nigeria while pleading with the Labour leaders to join hands with him to birth a better and economically buoyant country,” Alake stated.
