Lagos Set to Build Refinery Ekene Okoro
14 May 2009
Lagos — Lagos State Government is to build a modular refinery capable of processing between 12,000 and 15,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
State Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Adesegun Oniru, who disclosed this during a ministerial briefing to herald the second anniversary of the Babatunde Fashola administration, added that his ministry is understudying similar projects in other states of the federation to understand the modalities involved.
He added that the step was in anticipation of the discovery of oil and gas in Lagos State.
He said the project would gulp about $10 million and that it would have capacity of providing employment for over 5,000 workers when completed.
Oniru did not give details of the quantity of oil and gas deposit in the state but assured that a consultant, Moban Limited, has been engaged to monitor and assess the status of the state.
According to him, the consultant is saddled with the task of monitoring oil block allotments within the jurisdiction of the state and ensure that the operators fulfil their statutory obligations, create a geological/ geophysical databank for the state and source for indigenous/foreign technical partners that will work with the state government in timely exploration of the vacant blocks.
He stated that his ministry was poised to make Lagos a mineral producing state soonest.
While commenting on the activities of his ministry in the last one year, Oniru said 51 persons were arrested for illegal dredging activities along Badagry, Ikorodu and Ajah axis and prosecuted accordingly.
He reiterated the state government's embargo on illegal dredging and issuance of permit for dredging activities, just as he added that Governor Babatunde Fashola has endorsed an enabling law that empowers his ministry to arrest and prosecute anybody engaging in dredging along the waterfronts without permit.
The commissioner, who also spoke on the extent of work at the "Eko Atlantic City", said once completed it will accommodate about 250,000 people while 200,000 commuters are expected to flow daily to the city to work.
He added that the city will combine residential, commercial and financial tourist accommodation and would be serviced by state-of-the-art and high-tech infrastructure.
On plans to arrest the activities of illegal extension beyond allotted space by allotees on shoreline, Oniru said a proposal has been made for a new policy on waterfront land administration.
Copyright © 2009 Daily Independent. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).
this government is a serious one..what is the man at the center doing aside from giving his daughters as sixth wives to governors?
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