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FG’s Plans To Set Up 18 Modular Refineries Excite N’Delta Group
Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC), facilitators of Project with Artisanal Crude Oil Refiners (PACOR) for Modular Refineries in the Niger Delta, has commended the Federal Government for approving three modular refineries for six states in the region.
The group also called for the establishment of Presidential Artisanal Crude Oil Refining Development Initiative (PACORDI) to innovatively modify and legalise artisanal refining in the Niger Delta similar to the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Development Initiative (PAGMI) in parts of the North and Western Nigeria with a further call for the removal of Cross River State from the pilot phase of the project since it was not an oil-producing state.
The group stated this in a press statement released in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital and signed by its Executive Director, FynefaceDumnameneFyneface, in reaction to Federal Government’s proposal on January 19 to establish 18 modular refineries, three each in Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Cross River and Rivers states.
The organisation said the acceptance of the Federal Government to establish three modular refineries per state was one of the achievements and successes of its advocacy on modular refineries because the Federal Government at the National Summit for the Integration of Artisanal/Modular Petroleum Refineries Operation in Nigeria into the national economy on March 16 and 17, 2021, had insisted on one modular refinery per state, but the organisation demanded and insisted on three per state which had now eventually been approved and granted by the Federal Government.
Fyneface said the organisation has been carrying out and implementing the directive of President MuhammaduBuhari, represented by Vice President, Prof. YemiOsibanjo, since 2017,when he promised modular refineries.
He commended the Minister of State for Environment, Mrs. Sharon Ikeazor, who represented Mr. President at the inauguration of NOSDRA laboratory in Port Harcourt on January 10, 2022, for the formation of cooperative societies for modular refinery licenses with the establishment of three “Modular Refinery Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd” based on three senatorial districts in each state that were now ready and waiting to receive the licenses for the real artisanal refiners in the Niger Delta.
Fyneface also called for the inclusion of Abia, Imo and Ondostates in the next phase of the modular refinery scheme and remove Cross River from the pilot.
“Cross River is not an oil-producing state. I, therefore, recommend without prejudice that it should not be part of the pilot (first) phase of the project as announced by the Federal Government through the Minister of State for Environment, Mrs. Sharon Ikeazor.
“This is because, since the modular refineries are targeted at solving immediate problems associated with ongoing artisanal crude oil refining activities that are not currently taking place in Cross River State, it would be better to keep the state in view and focus on problem states”, the statement reads in part.
He recommended that in this pilot phase, Abia State where artisanal refining is ongoing in some areas should replace Cross River State while steps should be taken without delays to extend modular refineries to Ondo, Imo and Cross River states in the second phase to re-enforce good behaviour, reward the youths and people for not involving themselves in serious pipeline vandalism, crude oil theft, artisanal refining and associated environmental pollution, including soot.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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