Expert Okays FG’s Modular Refineries Initiative

A former Managing Director of Onne Oil and Gas Free zone Authority (OGFZA), Mr Victor Alabo, has given his support to the building of modular refineries.
Alabo, who disclosed his support for the Federal Government’s plan while speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt recently said, such refineries would improve the nation’s economy and create massive employment for the youths.
“The development of the petroleum industry should go into manufacturing, production of petrochemicals, plastics and crude oil derivatives”, he said.
He explained that, crude oil has a lot of by-products that can be generated into plastic, resins and several other useful products.
According to Alabo, once manufacturing goes into that sector, the number of jobs that would be created would be enormous.
The former OGFZA boss explained that it was in this context that the idea of the modular refinery was being canvassed by the government.
He also said, the decision of the Federal government to sustain the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme will ensure peace in the area and allow Nigeria, maximize her oil posentials.
“The best option is to continue with the Amnesty programme and sustain capacity building so that by the time we go into modular refineries and other manufacturing we will have the capacity of youths that can mann those industries, and that is why the amnesty programme should continue” he said.
He added that, one of the major challenges facing the region was that the youths have no skills and could not be employed even as he said the sustenance of the amnesty programmes would address such challenge.