‘Rivers refinery project gets underway soon’
• Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Rivers State Government has concluded plans to build a private refinery in the state to boost the production and supply of petroleum products in the state.

The state Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources, Mr.Ezemonye Ezekiel Amadi stated this yesterday while addressing newsmen in his office in Port Harcourt.

Mr. Amadi who revealed that the refinery would be built in Ndoni in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area through a public/private partnership said it would have the capacity of refining 600 barrels of crude oil per day.

According to him, the refinery is a public/private programme and in the next couple of months it will kick off.

He continued: “With the land already acquired and compensation paid, we have given approval to the private investors who are interested to commence feasibility study and we are hoping that before the end of this year, something concrete will be there on ground”.

The commissioner averred that the refinery apart from ensuring adequate supply of petroleum products to residents of the state would also serve as a source of revenue to the state government.

Mr. Amadi further stated that the state government would no longer tolerate the diversion of petroleum products from the state to other areas.

Describing the act as illegal, the state Ministry of Energy and National Resources boss called on tanker drivers and hoodlums involved in the act to desist or face the wrath of the law.

He maintained that the government was poised to protect members of the public from fake petroleum products and urged the public to cooperate with the state government for pure and adequate petroleum supply.