NGO Makes Case For Modular Refinery 

A non-governmental organisation, Youth and Environmental Advocacy Center (YEAC), says the introduction of modular refinery in the Niger Delta is one of the ways to solving the issues of energy in the country.
Executive Director, YEAC, Mr Fineface Dumnamene, made this assertion at a training organised for artisanal refiners in Ogoni and other communities, recently.
Dumnamene said the training was aimed at ensuring pollution-free environment and to mobilise support for the full implementation of the Ogoni Clean-up project.
He assured that the training would empower the artisanal refiners with tools that would help them succeed and also sustain their businesses.
According to him, “today, we have organised yet another training for artisanal crude oil refiners in the Ogoni areas and the essence of this training is to train them on guidelines on the establishment of modular refinery as a way of disabusing their minds from returning to artisanal refining that will contribute to pollution in Ogoni land where the clean-up is underway”
The Executive Director expressed worry over the destruction of the main source of livelihood of the people which he said was farming
He observed that modular refinery might not be as lucrative as artisanal crude oil refining, because crude would be bought, though at a reduced cost, stating however, that modular refinery is sustainable and safer.
Dumnamene pointed out, “It is not going to be as lucrative as artisanal refining because in artisanal refining, the crude is stolen, it is not bought; so they have no cost of how much crude is bought. But what you have in modular refinery is, you need to buy crude but at very reduced price; so, now their income is going to be reduced but then, it is going to be sustained in the business because they are all willing to live what they are currently doing.”

By: Tonye Nria-Dappa