The Port Harcourt refinery will commence operations by December 2023.

This was President Bola Tinubu’s assurance to the organized labour after the massive nationwide protests that locked down parts of major cities yesterday.

The president had hosted the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

A statement by the president’s, special adviser on special duties, communications and strategy, Dele Alake said production will begin after the ongoing rehabilitation contract between Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and Maire Tecnimont Spa is completed.

President Tinubu pledged that he would continue to work for the best interest of Nigeria, encouraging the labour leaders to join forces with him to create a better and more prosperous country.

The Port Harcourt refinery is one of the country’s three oil refineries and several timelines had been established in the past for the operations of the refinery.

In 2021, the NNPC commenced the rehabilitation of the refinery after FEC approved the sum of $1.5 billion for the project.

Ajaero briefed the newsmen after the meeting with the president.