Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, has urged the Federal Government to prevail on America’s oil giant, ExxonMobil, to relocate its corporate headquarters to the state.
Governor Udom, who described ExxonMobil as a difficult corporate citizen, said the company has processed over 15 billion barrels of crude oil from the state and this statistics was enough to compell the firm to relocate to the state.
Udom said this at a gala night organised by the State Government in honour of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, and industry stakeholders, who were in the state for an oil and gas sector retreat.
The governor expressed optimism that just a word from the Minister was enough to compel the oil multinational, as the state already has completed a 21-storey building and housing estates, which would effectively serve the company and its workers.
He said : “I want the Honourable Minister to make just a statement, and ExxonMobil will be here. They are not safer where they are than in Akwa Ibom. Akwa Ibom is peaceful.
“We are ready to support their relocation. Mobil is a very difficult corporate citizen but the Minister can give them the directive to come here.
“They process over 15 billion barrel from our shores and that alone should propel them. They don’t have such excellent production anywhere else in the world.
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“This administration has done a lot, including building a 21-storey intelligence building named Dakkada Towers, and housing estates which could effectively serve the company and its workers.”
The governor expressed appreciation for the planned NNPC oil and gas logistic centre for the state, proposing that the groundbreaking should be done in September to mark the state’s 33rd anniversary.
Udom disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a 50,000 hectare oil and gas free trade zone in Akwa Ibom and urged the Minister to partner with the state for the 540 megawatts Qua Iboe Power Plant project.
He further expressed his readiness to provide support, ranging from land and electricity, for the proposed NNPC depot in the state.
