MANAGING Director, Alexis Refinery, Mr Joewy Obue has pledged to carry host communities along in the proposed 10,000 barrels per day modular refinery in Abuator in Ndokwa East, Local Government Area of Delta State.
According to him, relations between host communities and Alexis Refinery will be guided by the spirit of the new Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), with regards to local content.
Obue, spoke shortly after a stakeholders scoping workshop on Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) in Asaba.
He disclosed that the refinery which would commence operations in August 2021 allocated 1 percent equity shares to host communities, pointing out the move was informed by the need to encourage host communities to take ownership of the project.
Obue assured that adequate steps had been taken to accommodate the interest of host communities to avoid the pitfalls of the past where communities were pitted against oil companies.
He said that the Delta State Government with 10 per cent equity shares, the primary host community of Abuator, the neighbouring communities of Abalaga, Aboh, Beneku and Okpai as well as the Federal Government, through the Nigerian Content Management and Development Commission (NCMDC) formed the stakeholders in the project.
“The communities are an integral part of the project; they are stakeholders in the project.
“They are all being carried along in the spirit of the new Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) with a lot of local content,” he said, adding that, plans had reached advanced stage to pay compensation to a farm settlement towards relocation to a suitable site.
He said the Italian multinational oil giant, AGIP would supply feedstock from its field to the refinery.
Chief Economic Adviser to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Dr. Kingsley Emu, said that the state government would not only ensure that an enabling environment was provided, but would also ensure that the local economy is protected, in terms of fair share of jobs
