Rivers Demands Marginal Oil Field …As Denial Impedes Indigenous Refinery Take-Off

The failure of the Federal Government to allocate a marginal oil field to Rivers State, has been cited as the cause of the failure of the take-off of the state-owned treasure oil resource.

Making the assertion at a press briefing in Port Harcourt yesterday, the Rivers Oil and Gas Professionals noted that the development was retrogressive in view of the fact that states like Bayelsa, Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Imo had long been allocated oil fields by the Federal Government.

Managing Director of the Rivers Treasure Energy Resources, Dr Eddie Wikina who led others to brief the press on the issue also said that the situation had put the company in a difficult position as it could not operate without an oil field. He called on the Federal Government to fill the void.

He recalled that in 2002 during oil block bids, only two Rivers sons were awarded oil fields, describing it as unfair, in view of the fact that Rivers produces 40 per cent of the nation’s total oil output.

The Managing Director also said that the state was being short-changed in the on-going Brass NLNG project as the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which awarded the state five per cent equity on the project had not been signed.

According to him, this situation was denying the state the benefit of participating in both the upstream sector of the oil and the gas industry.

Also speaking, another member of the association, Chief Clark I. Nsirim said that members of the association who had worked in various oil and gas companies would create opportunities for Rivers youths to participate effectively in the sector.

Also speaking, Mr Mike Aloeye said that the professionals had as their objectives increased participation in the people of Rivers State in the oil industry.

In his own view, Mr M. M. Ikoro said that the denial of the state a marginal oil field had underscored the need to involve state governments in the management of the nation’s oil wealth.

Meanwhile, the Rivers Oil and Gas Professionals, has described as unacceptable the purported move by the Nigerian Local Content Management Board to deny the state an office.

The association which made the observation at a press briefing in Port Harcourt described the trend as part of the process of marginalization of the state in the oil and gas sector of the economy.

Managing Director of the Rivers Treasure Energy Resources, Dr Eddie Wikina said that the group would not accept the reason advanced by the board that the Yenagoa office in Bayelsa state would cover Port Harcourt.

He said that since the board had agreed to open offices in other Niger Delta States, it was only fair that Port Harcourt be accorded the benefit of also hosting an office of the Nigerian Content Management Board.

Dr Wikina disclosed that Rivers State had no equity in the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Bonny just as it was being denied its five per cent equity status in the Brass NLNG.

The Rivers Treasure Energy boss said it was shameful that cooking gas was more expensive in the state than in Lagos. Consequently, he said, that the company was exploring the possibility of partnering with private investors towards building more jetties and Liquefied Petroleum Gas plants in the state.

According to him, the establishment of more LPGs in the state would help to reduce the cost of cooking gas in the state.

He also said that the company was discussing with the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources with a view to enabling it participate in the development and distribution of the state’s natural gas resources.

L-R: Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi in a handshake with President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, while Deputy Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abdullai Gwarzo watches, during the 7th Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, yesterday.