The Unified Union Office of “Samir,” a subsidiary of the National Union of Petroleum and Gas Industry, has urgently called for measures to save Morocco’s only oil refinery, which has been under bankruptcy proceedings for the past 8 years. The refinery, known as “Samir,” is the sole facility responsible for refining petroleum in the country and its current situation raises concerns about its future.
The “Samir” refinery came to a halt in 2015 due to financial troubles and accumulated debts during the tenure of its former owner, Saudi businessman Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi. This prompted the implementation of bankruptcy proceedings, which have been ongoing for nearly a decade. Despite attempts to find a buyer and revive the refinery, no successful resolution has been reached so far.
The National Union of Petroleum and Gas Industry has issued a desperate call to action, warning that the overall situation has reached a critical stage where the possibility of saving the refinery and protecting the rights and interests associated with it is diminishing rapidly.
In a statement released last Saturday, the union urged all relevant stakeholders to exert pressure on the authorities to remove any artificial obstacles preventing the refinery from resuming operations. The union has specifically highlighted the responsibility of the government and major creditors, accusing them of contributing to the company’s insolvency by neglecting to address past misconduct by the previous owner and failing to take appropriate actions to safeguard the refinery.
Moreover, the union reiterated its call for the government and creditors to support the resolution of the social issue and ensure full payment of wages and retirement benefits for the refinery’s workforce, which comprises over 3,500 employees.
The situation has escalated as the workforce of “Samir,” currently employed under a court-issued permit that is renewed every three months, faces the ongoing hardship of receiving partial or no wages at all. They have also reported that their retirement contributions have not been processed since 2016, despite wage deductions being made.
The refinery, founded in 1959 through a partnership between the Moroccan government and the Italian state oil company ENI, used to play a crucial role in Morocco’s economy by providing domestically refined petroleum products and reducing the country’s dependency on fuel imports. However, the company faced financial troubles in the years leading to its shutdown, leading to its privatization and eventual acquisition by Swedish firm “Coral Petroleum Holding,” owned by Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi.
With no resolution in sight, the future of the “Samir” refinery remains uncertain, and its potential loss poses severe implications for the Moroccan economy and its citizens. The refinery’s predicament is a matter of significant concern, with stakeholders calling for urgent actions to salvage the refinery and protect the interests of the nation.
