06 August 2013, Port Harcourt – The Rivers State Government has been granted a licence by the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, to establish Omega-Butler Refinery to be sited in Okpokiri, Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area of the state.
The state Energy and Natural Resources Commissioner, Mr. Okey Amadi, disclosed this in Port Harcourt at a meeting with chiefs and elders of Ikpokiri community in his office.
He said: “Government is committed to the completion of this project because of the benefits of employment and other economic ventures which our people stand to leverage to better their living standards.”
Amadi solicited the co-operation of the host community to enable the core investors mobilise to site immediately, charging the chiefs to go back and sensitise their people on the benefits they will enjoy from the project.
Responding on behalf of the community, Chief Jonah Tamuno, assured that “the people of Ikpokiri community are committed to the success of this project and will do everything possible to ensure that it commences without any hitch.”
Rivers quest for Omega Butler Refinery, a Public Private Partnership modular refinery, was conceived during the Governor Peter Odili administration.
Construction of the refinery has 18 months timeline with structured 5,000-10,000 (BPD) barrels per day production capacity and room for upgrade to maximum 30,000 bpd as demand grows.
– Egufe Yafugborhi, Vanguard
