FG constitutes steering committee for sale of refineries

President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the constitution of a steering committee for the sale of the nation’s four refineries.

A statement issued by the Head of Public Communication at the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Mr. Chigbo Anichebe, in Abuja on Friday said the President also approved the commencement of the prirvatisation of the refineries.

The four refineries are the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited I; the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited II; the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited; and the Warri Refining & Petrochemical Company Limited.

Anichebe 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 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 drivers 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 Minister of Finance, Minister of Power, Minister of Labour and Productivity, Minister of National Planning, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development and the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation.

Others are the Chairman of the Extractive Sub Committee of the National Council on Privatisation, Special Adviser to the Vice President on Economy, Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Director General of BPE, Group Executive Director (Refineries), NNPC, the Managing Directors of the refineries and the Director (Oil and Gas) at BPE who will serve as the secretary.