Skip to main content

Host communities, foreign investors plan 10 refineries


hostcom briefing: From left— National Director, Clergymen of Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas, HOSTCOM, Primate Dr. Moses Ogbodogbo; National Chairman, Prince Mike Emuh; Edo State Chairman, HOSTCOM, Prince Sam Igbineweka, and Bayelsa State Chairman, HOSTCOM, Chief Bob Nabena, at the briefing on modal refineries, oil pipeline surveillance and gas flaring, in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: Gbemiga Olamikan. From left— National Director, Clergymen of Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas, HOSTCOM, Primate Dr. Moses Ogbodogbo; National Chairman, Prince Mike Emuh; Edo State Chairman, HOSTCOM, Prince Sam Igbineweka, and Bayelsa State Chairman, HOSTCOM, Chief Bob Nabena, at the briefing on modal refineries, oil pipeline surveillance and gas flaring, in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: Gbemiga Olamikan. Oil producing communities in the country, under the auspices of the Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas, HostCom, yesterday, disclosed that they have entered into an agreement with a number of foreign investors from Germany, United States of America among others, to build 10 modular refineries in Nigeria.



This is an improvement on its initial plan to build a single modular refinery in one of the oil-producing states.
Speaking at its national conference in Abuja, Mr. Mike Emuh, National Chairman, HostCom, said that funding for the 10 modular refineries would be provided solely by the foreign investors, while the refineries would be constructed in all oil-producing states.
He, however, blamed the delay in the commencement of the project on issues surrounding licensing and cost and sources of crude oil supply to the refineries.
Need for licence
He said: “We are, therefore, calling on the Federal Government to grant our foreign partners licenses and all necessary cooperation for the smooth take off of these modular refineries that will be financed wholly by our foreign partners.”
Emuh further bemoaned the continuous flaring of gas by oil companies in the country, stating that HostCom has, therefore, issued a 30-day ultimatum to all international oil companies, IOCs, operating in the country to stop gas flaring or face the wrath of the communities.
He lamented the fact that Nigeria still ranks among countries with the highest rate of gas flaring in the world, while Federal Government had shown lack of commitment in addressing the issue.
He stated that oil and gas prospecting companies in the country had stopped paying penalties for gas flaring since 2008, while the Federal Government is yet to remit about N1.3 trillion gas flare penalty in the coffers of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to host communities.
Demand gas flaring money
To this end, Emuh called on all oil and gas companies in the country to immediately commence the remittance of their gas flare penalties to the accounts of HostCom.
He said: “We are appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to instruct CBN to release the accumulated gas flare money that belongs to HostCom paid by IOCs through the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR.
“To this end, we hereby advise all oil and gas prospecting companies in Nigeria to resume payment of the gas flaring penalty levy that has been stopped since 2008, directly to HostCom account immediately.
“Furthermore, we give a 30-day ultimatum to all IOCs to stop gas flaring nationwide forthwith or face the consequences.”
Emuh also called on the Federal Government to cede oil pipeline surveillance to host communities, as this will help check oil theft, bunkering, illegal refineries and pipeline vandalization.
He said: “Host communities are the owners of the oil and gas and we know the people who vandalize the pipelines.
“We know those who lift the oil from the vessel; we know those who operate these illegal refineries. The only solution is to give it to the host communities; our boys will take care of it.”

Credit: Vanguard

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sen. Magnus Abe's Courageous Fight For Rivers Brick House

Ab e' Today Rivers people especially majority of faithful of the All Progressives Congress APC defied the heavy down pour in Port Harcourt to show solidarity for Sen. Magnus Abe and the direct primaries in the state which has been kicked against by the Rotimi Amaechi faction of the party in the state. This support which was massive and highly successful  buttressed the position of the over 148,000 people that caste  their votes on the direct primaries which held in the state on the 30th of September 2018. Rivers people on that   fateful day showed that they wanted the right man for the job in defiance of the foisting of an unknown candidate chosen from the blues to fly the flag of the party. The solidarity which the people of the state and APC members showed for the Ogoni born Senator has to be respected by the party unlike what is happening today where the party seems to be favouring the emergence of Tonye Cole all in the bid to please the former governor of t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Support For GEJ: C C Okirie Commends PDP In Rivers State

A frontline politician in Rivers State Chief Chukwuma Chinwa Oikrie has commended the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers state under the leadership of Bro. Felix Obuah (Go Round) for the support the party has given to President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term bid. Chief Okirie made this known at Omoku Town the headquarters of Ogba/ Egbema / Ndoni local government area over the weekend when the Party opened the Campaign Office of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in the LGA. While thanking the state Chairman for his support, Chief Okirie stated that with the support the President has received from the party in the state, there was even no need for him to come and campaign personally.   “With the tremendous support the people of the state have accorded the President, I think he should go and rest. It is even immaterial if he comes to campaign personally because the people of the state are behind him. We will give him the traditional 100% votes we have alway...
Post a Comment
Read more

“Stop Harassing Atiku’s Business Interests”- CC Okirie

A Port Harcourt based businessman and politician Chief Chukwuma C. Okirie has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria not to use or allow any of its agencies, parastatals or departments to be used in intimidating or harassing any business interest (s) of former vice President Alhaji Abubakar Atiku. Chief CC Okirie who is also the National Coordinator of  Project AA a socio political group with wide follower-ship across the country said the former vice president of the country has sacrificed so much for democracy in the country and should not be subjected to any form of harassment due to his political ideology or aspiration. Chief Okirie who briefed newsmen during the meet the media chat with newsmen on the activities of his group PROJECT AA said it was high time Nigerians are allowed to speak their minds or aspire for any position of their choice without being witch hunted by authourities.  He lamented that some people who believe they have some people in particular...
Post a Comment
Read more