Modular Refineries: Stakeholder Harps On FG, N’Delta Collaboration

In  a bid to actualise the Modular Refinery Scheme of the Federal Government , a renowned trade unionist and stakeholder in the oil and gas sector, Comrade Chika Onuegbu, has called for dialogue and active consultation between the Federal Government and the Niger Delta. Comrade Onuegbu, who featured on a current affairs programme in Silverbird Television last weekend, said the modular refinery project will only be feasible when issues of doubts are completely erased from the process.
He said, “the partnership with the Niger Delta has to be direct, not through proxies, government should sit down and dialogue with the people, work out a modality that will be acceptable to all parties, without these, the project will not succeed.
On the $1million dollar benchmark fixed by the Federal Government to secure license for the operation of the Modular Refinery, Comrade Onuegbu said the amount was unrealistic to be raised by the target beneficiaries of the project in the Niger Delta.
Alternatively, he said government should encourage the people of the Niger Delta to participate in the process by galvanizing them into cooperative and raising the fund for them.
This initiative, he noted will help to stem the devastating effect of illegal refineries on the Niger Delta environment.
Onuegbu, who is the immediate past chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Rivers State, disclosed that those involved in illegal refineries were already consummated in the process, regardless of the dangers they constituted to the environment.
He pointed out that only proper negotiation and re-engagement into the new model which is skill based can address the issues in the state.
He listed the gains of the modular refinery to include, “reduction of the natural environment, reduction of crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism, development of skilled operators in the oil and gas sector, reduction of death as a result of strange disease caused by reckless gas flaming and environmental pollution”.
He warned that lack of proper representation of the Niger Delta in the management of the proposed modular refineries would generate doubts on the mind of the people and hamper the successful implementation of the project. “Government need to be sincere, by coming up with a policy framework to include the Niger Delta in the management of the modular refineries, Government has to help in building the capacity of the local operators to make the project realistic.
Comrade Onuegbu commended the Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo to the Niger Delta and also lauded the Niger Delta leaders for their understanding which has led to relative calm in the area.

Taneh Beemene