Abia modular refinery starts production next year

…To employ over 2000 youths

From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia

A modular refinery, one of the mega projects at the Abia Industrial Innovation Park (AIIP) located in Owaza, Ukwa West local government area of Abia State, will start production by next year, the government has disclosed.

Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu, who made this known on Tuesday, January 18, 2024, while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the Week’s State Executive Council meeting at Government House, Umuahia, added that the project which will be the first modular refinery in the state, is expected to provide over 2, 000 direct job opportunities.

“One of the major takeaways from today’s (Tueaday) EXCO is the fact that the modular refinery project at the Abia Industrial Innovation Park (AIIP) will come on stream by 2025. It will be the first major industrial project at the industrial park,” Kanu said.

“Of course, once that refinery comes on stream, it will provide job opportunities in excess of 2, 000 for our teeming youths. These are direct jobs. When you talk about the indirect jobs, it will run into thousands as well. The project will help to refine products for Abians, as well as increase our revenue base as a state. So, it is a project that is very important to this government and every effort is being put in place to ensure that that the date is met,” the Commissioner said.

He noted that the plan to establish the modular refinery was an indication that the state government was also poised to reap from the huge investment opportunities provided by the petroleum and other mineral resources endowment of the state, stressing that many investors have been indicating interest in the sector.

“In this regard, lots of investors are jostling to come and invest in Abia State. Of course, when these investments are put in place, they would help to provide job opportunities for our youths. Such investments, of course, will add to our revenue and generally reflect on the economic wellbeing of the state,” the Commissioner said.

The joint news briefing also featured the Commissioner for Petroleum and Solid Minerals, Prof Joel Ogbonna, his Health Counterpart, Dr. Mrs Ngozi Okoronkwo and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma.

In his contribution, Prof. Ogbonna said that coming on stream of the modular refinery would mark the beginning of efforts by government to harness Abia’s mineral deposits for development of the state, adding that government was desirous of transforming Abia through the industrial innovation park.

Prof. Ogbonna stressed that the modular refinery “presents a huge opportunity for job and wealth creation,” adding, “of course, we are taking advantage of the natural endowment which we have not taken advantage of before now.” He expresses hope that “in the next couple of years, job opportunities would be huge,” disclosing that “AIIP is in the position to provide over 10, 000 jobs.”

According to the Commissioner, “the new Government has been in a hurry to bring transformation through the establishment of the industrial innovation park. About 20, 000 hectares of land have been acquired in Owaza. Before now, many of us didn’t know that we had oil and gas in Abia State even though this has been a curse rather a blessing to Abia because of bad governance of successive governments. Right now, we want to convert those wastes to wealth.”

On health, the Commissioner for Information announced that there was a suspected outbreak of measles in the two local governments of Arochukwu and Umunneochi.

 Throwing more light on the development, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Ngozi Okoronkwo, said that when about three children are affected by the measles, it would be considered an outbreak.

 However, she said: “We are currently mopping up to identify those children and also ascertain when this condition started and all of that. For now, it is just three of them and not more than three. For us, once it gets to that number, it’s already declared an outbreak. We are trying to identify them and avert any further spread and as I speak, it is under control.”

 On infrastructure, Kanu said that reconstruction of Jubilee Road in Aba has been completed, just as work on three others roads was ongoing. He added that the renovated Ummunneato and Okpuala Ngwa General hospitals would be commissioned soon.

 On the reported return of touts to some motor parks to harass and extort money from motorists, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, said that Governor Alex Otti has given a directive to the Special Adviser on Security Matters to apprehend the suspected hoodlums.

 “When the Governor came on board, he gave a directive stopping all collection of illegal revenue and levies and all the rest of them,” Ekeoma recalled. “But in the last few days,” he continued, “there have been reports of extortion in the name loading fee. So it’s important I bring it to your attention that the Governor has instructed that those involved be arrested. The government is not going to tolerate that because we do not need hoodlums to be in charge of collection of any kind of levies and all the rest of them in the State.”

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