Anambra to begin oil refining in nine months

The Custodian April 10, 2014

Anambra State may soon start refining petroleum products in the next nine months, the Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano has said.

The governor, who stated this during an interactive session with journalists on Wednesday night said that since he had adopted development of the oil and gas sector as one of the cardinal pillars of his administration, he would work hard to ensure that in the next nine months, Orient Petroleum would begin to refine petroleum deposits in the state.

He said, “for now, Orient Petroleum is the only company handling that, but we are stepping in to ensure that they start refining petroleum products in the nine months time.

“When we do this, we are sure that more oil and gas based industries will follow and jobs will be provided”.

Obiano said he was going to pursue aggressively an increase in the internal revenue of the state, and that he had appointed an expert in the person of Mr Okey Muoka as his special adviser on internal revenue.

The governor also disclosed that he had appointed the son of the late leader of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Jnr as the sole administrator of Nnewi North Local Government Area.

He said his action was predicated on the fact that local council election was not conducted in Nnewi North in the last local government election as a result of fracas, and needed to be overseen by someone.

He sought the partnership and cooperation of media practitioners in Anambra State, saying that the main aim of his organising the interactive session was to assure journalists that he was still ready to deliver on his promises and to also introduce his media handlers, whom he said he had instructed to ensure they always meet the needs of journalists in information sourcing to avoid giving way for speculations.

 “Very soon I will also appoint a Chief Press Secretary, and that would be another channel from where you can always get your information. He, or rather she will always supply you with any information you need about our administration, he said”.