The oil-rich Gbaramatu Kingdom of Delta State and its partners,
Missouri American Energy, say they are ready to build the first modular
refinery in the country to process 20,000 barrels of crude per day.
The Traditional Prime Minister of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Chief
Wellington Okirika, and the Chief Executive Officer of Missouri Energy, Mr
Henry Iwenofu, said after a meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on
Thursday.
According to Okirika, the project is in response to the political
will demonstrated by the Muhammadu Buhari administration on modular refineries
and to develop the oil producing communities.
So we are very excited
that there is now the opportunity to develop our degraded environment and
turning the fortunes round.
The issue of illegal refinery will be over; the issue of illegal
bunkering will be over.
We will be producing refined products; it will stop the
importation of refined products into this country.
How can we be selling our crude oil and just spending the money?
We don’t have added value to the crude oil value; but now we are
going to have a chain of values.
We are going to have refined products.
It will stop the importation of refined products; it will
eventually put to rest the issue of fuel subsidy and it will create jobs and
wealth.’’
The Bolowei of Gbaramatu and Consultant on Modular Refineries
said the community initiated the Gbaramatu Oil and Gas Producing Trust Fund
with the objective of empowering the community, developing and industrialising
the degraded environment.
According to Okirika, one of the options to develop the
environment is the modular refinery.
We have been on this matter for some years now. It has been on
the drawing board.
We got excited when the presidency during the tour of the Niger
Delta made pronouncement on modular refineries.
So, we got back to the drawing board and we came here to tell Mr
President that this option of modular refineries has been accepted and adopted
by our people since about eight years ago,’’ he said.
The community leader said the kingdom made publications which it
circulated including in the U.S.
We went everywhere but there was no political will at the
centre.
Now that there is a political will to do the right thing we came
here to provide a document to show that we are the model that can produce the
first modular refinery in Nigeria.
It is 20,000 barrels per day modular refinery. It will create
jobs and create wealth.
Those of us in the oil-producing communities, our environment
has been degraded by the oil industry and if you go there you will find that
there is nothing like industry.
And the only industry that can be established will be based on
the raw materials that are available in massive quantities,,’’ he added.
Also speaking, Iwenofu said the U.S.-based group was interested
in the economic development in the Delta and the policy from the federal
government.
We are interested in this
economic development in the Delta and the policy from the federal government.
And we appreciate the opportunity to invest in the area
But there are certain things that we need to see.
We saw it today which is the dedication from the Vice President
that the government is ready and willing to assist in which way that is
business-like, that is transparent as we can see here which will make the
communities that produce the oil benefit from the resources from their
community.’’
Iwenofu said that the organization was ready to train the people
of the community to work and operate the refinery.
He said that most of the people would benefit from the refinery
being sited in their community and in other aspects of the economy.
So there is multiplier effect in having the refinery in the
communities, not only in Gbaramatu but in the Delta area,’’ he explained.
Naijaroyaltyculture.blogspot.com reports that the investors
requested among other things the relaxation of regulations and controls which
could delay the importation of plants and equipment.
They also asked for guarantee of 80 per cent crude oil stock,
five year tax exemption and CBN guarantee to the foreign investors to
repatriate their funds as appropriate.
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