Rivers State Governor,
Chief Nyesom Wike has charged the Governing Council of University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), to make uptimum use of its newly commissioned Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) Centre for Gas, refining and petrochemicals (CGRP), building.
Giving the charge at the commissioning of the Centre recently, Governor Wike urged the council to ensure that it transforms the centre into a world acclaimed energy research centre.
“The Governing Council of the University has a great responsibility to meet the expectations of the government and people of Rivers State and Nigeria at large.
The council must transform this centre to a centre of Excellence recognized world wide as the epicenter of modern energy research,” he said.
The Governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Dr Ipalibo Harry- Banigo, enlogised the university for its commitment to quality teaching and research in oil and gas which has stood  out in engineering education in the South-South.
This, he noted, was what earned the university the grant from NLNG used for the establishment of the (CGRP).
While expressing optimism that the Centre would transform research in gas, petroleum  refining and allied industrial products in the Gulf of  Guinea, the Governor also stated its implications to the university, state and country at large.
“This centre goes to consolidate our position in the country as the custodian of knowledge and technology in the oil and gas sector. The implications of this are far-reaching.
“First, University of Port Harcourt will go into history as the only university that has a modular refinery in the country,” the Governor said.
He also stated the possibility of experts in the hydrocarbon industry availing themselves of the cutting –edge facility and equipment in the centre to embark on research that would proffer solutions to the growing local demand for energy to power industrialization, transportation and electricity supply in the country.
In his remarks at the occasion, minister of science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Commended the NLNG Limited for its university support programme initiative aimed at advancing engineering education in Nigeria.
The minister, who was represented by Professor Jidere Bala, expressed gratitude to NLNG for contributing to the development of science and technology in the country.
“As the minister of Science and Technology of the federal Republic of Nigeria, I feel a sense of fulfillment that a support of this nature to Science, Technology and innovation (STI) is being provided by a corporate organization like NlNG Ltd at this point in time.
“On behalf of the Government and People of Nigeria, I thank the NLNG for supporting the development of STI through building and equipment of Engineering laboratories across the country at a cost of  $ 12 million,” he said.
Also speaking, Managing Director of NLNG, Babs Omotowa, said the company decided to partner the university in order to contribute to educational growth and overall development of the Country.
He noted that Counties such as Japan, India and Singapore turned their potentials into reality through knowledge provided by science and technology.
According to him, the Centre houses state –of-the art laboratory equipped with a modular refinery, is the first of its kind in any educational institution in sub-Saharan Africa.