The proposed construction of a new refinery in Lagos has drawn the ire of Akwa Ibom State Government which last week told the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr. Mohammed Barkindo that it would be more feasible for such a project to be sited in the Niger Delta.
The Greenfield refinery which is expected to commence production 2017 is the baby of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and a some group of private investors.
They are: Tiajin Energy Resources Ltd of China; Total Nigeria Plc; Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC); Amazon Energy Golden Fertilizers Company (owned by Flour Mills Nigeria Plc); Mittal Investments; ONGC Narmada Ltd of India Sahara Energy Resources Ltd and Starex Petroleum Refinery Ltd.
He opposition of Akwa Ibom people was conveyed by the state governor, Godswill Akpabio last week at the ground breaking ceremony for the 500-megawatt power plant being constructed by the NNPC/Mobil Producing Nigeria Joint Venture ExxonMobil’s Qua Iboe Terminal (QIT) in Mkpana village in Ibeno Local Government Area of the state.
The Governor who specifically requested that the multi-billion dollar refinery should be re-located to the Niger Delta and particularly Akwa Ibom State told the gathering that the project will empower the people of the Niger Delta, especially in line with the Federal Government’s amnesty programme.
Represented by his deputy, the Governor told the NNPC boss that Akwa Ibom “is very much aware of a group of Chinese investors, who are currently having discussions with the Federal Government over the establishment of a refinery. We have followed keenly the level of discussion so far and we are aware that Lekki Island in Lagos has been favoured so far as a site for the refinery," he said.
"I think that if such a huge project is sited within the area, it will afford opportunity for the teeming population of Niger Delta people, particularly the amnesty that we have. It will also eliminate the difficulties, which NNPC is currently experiencing because I read the other day that NNPC is trying to consider the possibility of having seagoing vessels to transport crude oil to the three refineries, having been reactivated, because pipes carrying crude oil to those refineries had been blown off at the peak of the Niger Delta crisis. So, this can be eliminated if we have the facility sited in Akwa Ibom State," he added.
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