By Doh Bertrand Nua
Government has announced plans to launch rehabilitation works at some sections of the National Oil Refinery, SONARA, ravaged by wild flames as a result of a fire incident that occurred at the company last 31 May 2019.
Burnt portions of SONARA
The disclosure was made by the Prime Minister, Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute Wednesday 25 November 2020 while unveiling government’s Economic, Financial, Social and Cultural programme for the 2021 financial year at the National Assembly.
“Regarding petroleum and gas products, Government plans to launch the rehabilitation of SONARA and increase storage capacities,” the head of government revealed.
The PM said government established a mechanism to regularly supply the country with petroleum products and ensure its availability at competitive costs to reduce pump price subsidies immediately after the fire incident.
Dion Ngute said concerns over SONARA’s production tool forced the Head of State, Paul Biya, to instruct government to brainstorm on the rehabilitation and modernisation plan.
He went further stating that a series of evaluations were done by firms that manifested interest and it was established that the works will cost around FCFA 250 billion.
He noted that negotiations have already begun with several technical and financial partners. Dion added that the damage caused by the fire incident revealed the need to reinforce SCDP’s storage capacity in order to limit imports.
To recall is the fact that the fire incident destroyed 4 of SONARA’s 13 production units and partially damaged three. The fire burnt more than 10 million litres of crude oil and 70 769 400 litres of stock-fuel.
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