Delta state government is to partner with Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in the establishment of Gas, Petro-chemical and Fertilizer plants in the state.
The State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan who announced this yesterday when the Group Executive Director, Refinery and Petro-Chemical of NNPC Engr. Tony Ogbuigwe paid him a courtesy call in Asaba said the gas sector was lucrative and would therefore work closely with NNPC to establish the plants.
Dr. Uduaghan said NNPC should tap the potentials in the gas sector explaining that there was a hidden gold mine in the sector which was begging to be tapped.
He also explained that his administration was interested in increasing its internal revenue profile and said investments in the gas sector was an opportunity to diversify the economy which the State Government will take advantage of.
His words “We are building a state that would look beyond oil for sustenance and since investment in the gas sector was viable, we shall partner with NNPC to ensure the successful take-off of the Gas, Petrochemical and Fertilizer plants in our State”.
The Governor said the state will use the resources from oil production to invest in other sectors of the economy to increase the internal revenue resources of the state.
Dr Uduaghan however enjoined NNPC to work closely with oil producing states to ensure that there were no frictions in some sections of the states.
He expressed the need for NNPC to liaise with the state government when involving host communities and groups in its activities, saying: “Always liaise with the state government when involving groups and communities in the production activities of your organization so that we can guide you properly to avoid conflicts and disruptions”.
He requested NNPC to include the land area in its surveillance of pipeline networks, stressing that limiting surveillance to waterways alone will not yield the required result of wiping out pipelines vandalization.
The Governor promised to intervene in the alleged encroachment on NNPC land in Warri as well as rehabilitate the Warri tankers park to avoid congestion and traffic hold up.
In his remarks the group Executive Director, Refinery and Petro-Chemical of NNPC Engr. Tony Ogbuigwe said his organization was ready to stimulate local capacity and generate 120,000 jobs.
Engr. Ogbuigwe disclosed that NNPC has a master-plan to establish a Petro-chemical industry in Koko as well as develop the Koko port to decongest the Lagos ports.
He also announced that NNPC was ready to strengthen and carry out aggressive maintenance of Warri refinery and appealed to the state government to support the organization in it’s effort to double production of crude oil in the country.
