Stakeholders in the Niger Delta are excited over the recent announcement by the Federal Government of a plan to grant licences to the operators of the proposed Modular refineries in the oil-rich region.
The stakeholders have argued that the modular refineries would give host communities a sense of belonging, reduce restiveness and environmental pollution in the oilbearing communities.
They also urged the Federal Government to provide a roadmap on how to obtain the licences for the proposed modular refineries.
Speaking on behalf of the stakeholders in Warri, Delta State, the Pere Egbetube of Esuku, Tuomo clan in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta, King Ekiyes, said that the modular refineries would give the people of the region a new lease of life.
He, however, urged stakeholders involved in the local oil refining business to close ranks and forge a common front to engage the relevant authorities on how to get involved in the new business opportunities that were about to be availed the people in the region.
King Ekiyes said, “I thank President Buhari for his foresight and genuine concern to set up community-based modular refineries in Niger Delta communities to replace the local refineries in the region.
“It is my wish that stakeholders from across the region will come together to form a coalition to engage meaningfully with the relevant authorities on procedure of getting licences and possible grants to operate the modular refineries.”
Also speaking on the matter, a Research and Project Officer on Energy, Mr. FyneFace Dumnamene, said that it would take a minimum of four months to build a viable modular refinery.
Dumnamene added that the facilities could be operated by an individual. He also said that the modular refinery licences were categorised into three areas, including licences to establish, to construct and to operate, adding that they would expire after two years.
According to him, out of the 23 licences earlier granted to operators by the Federal Government, only one company had successfully built its own.
“Experts are required to construct modular refineries; they will be sited in oil-producing areas and its production capacity will be between 300 and 30,000 tons per day.
“Thermal power stations will be sited in those areas to enable the facilities function optimally, so that there will be continuous engagement to understand the policies of the government,” he said.
Secretary of the Bayelsa Business Roundtable, Mrs. Faith Wilkinson, urged the oil-producing communities to unite to get what rightly belonged to them.
“I urged you to unite, form groups so that this modular refinery will not be hijacked by politicians, who have enough money to spend,” she said.
Also, the acting spokesman of the Ijaw Peoples Development Initiative, Mr. Timi Ogobiri, commended the Federal Government policy direction, saying his group would key into it for even development.