FG to integrate artisanal, modular refineries

The federal government said it will integrate artisanal refining into the Nigerian oil and gas sector to reduce crimes and criminalities in the Niger Delta region.

Speaking at a national summit on the integration of artisanal and modular refinery operations in Abuja, the Minister of Budget, Clem Agba, said the challenges of refining enough petroleum products to satisfy local consumption is a major cause for concern.

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He however said the government will encourage innovativeness to resolve the challenge.

“Promoting social development can put an end to restiveness, criminal and illegal refinery activities, thereby sustaining peaceful coexistence in the Niger Delta region.”

“With the experience of the so-called illegal artisanal oil refineries in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region, stakeholders are unanimous in their view that if the right legal and economic framework is put in place, the illegal business of refining stolen crude could be rightly modelled to salvage the comatose oil industry in Nigeria.”

The Senior Special Assistant to the President, Niger Delta Affairs and co-host of the Summit, Ita Enang, said the activities of artisanal refiners have posed great danger and loses to the national treasury via bursting of crude oil pipelines, taking the oil and refining crudely and illegally, selling same without remittance to the Federation Account.