The Muhammadu Buhari-led administration on Tuesday said it would not leave any of the critical projects it is executing in the oil-rich Niger Delta region uncompleted.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) said this during the 6th Anniversary Lecture/Niger Delta Awards Organised by Gbaramatu Voice Newspaper, which was held in Lagos.
Represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Office of the Vice President, Mr. Edobor Iyamu, Osinbajo said the target is being achieved through the administration’s New Vision for the Niger Delta region.
According to a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President, Mr Laolu Akande, Osinbajo said the administration decided to promote investment into modular refineries in the region to expand economic opportunities in the region.
He said: “In 2017, following my tour of the Niger Delta, which involved extensive consultations with key stakeholders in the region, the New Vision for the Niger Delta was birthed in response to the various challenges which had been plaguing our people.
“The objective of this New Vision is to ensure that the people of the region benefit maximally from their wealth, through promoting infrastructural developments, environmental remediation and local content development.”
Osinbajo said that the administration’s Niger Delta New Vision initiative has recorded some landmark achievements in the areas of education, environmental remediation, infrastructure and local content development, among others.
He added: “As part of the quest to expand economic opportunities in the region, this administration has promoted investments in modular refineries.
“The objective of this initiative is to address our present energy demands and empower the Niger Delta people through promoting local content.”
The Vice President stated that while there are several modular refineries at different stages of completion across the region, three have been completed including the Niger Delta Petroleum Resources (NDPR) Modular Refinery in Rivers State; OPAC Modular Refinery in Delta State, and Walter Smith Modular Refinery in Imo State.
He also noted the ongoing remediation exercise in Ogoni land, Rivers State, which was kick-started by the Buhari administration under the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
