By Deji Elumoye:
The end appears to be in sight to the perennial scarcity of petroleum products across the country as the federal government yesterday gave an assurance that the rehabilitation work on the Port Harcourt Refinery would be completed for it to resume full production by December, 2022.
Answering reporters’ questions at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, disclosed that the rehabilitation of the four refineries was on course and would be completed as scheduled.
Responding to a question as to when the refineries would be operational, he specifically stated that the 60,000 barrels per day capacity Port Harcourt refinery would become operational by the end of this year.
“The rehabilitation of the refineries is ongoing. The old refinery in Port Harcourt, which is about 60,000 barrels per day capacity, will be functional by December and, of course, we still have some time in the contracting time to conclude the rest of the Port Harcourt Refineries.
“Works in the Kaduna and Warri refineries are also progressing very well. We will soon be embarking on an inspection visit,” he added.
He also disclosed that FEC approved the sum of N2.044 billion for the construction of internal road and facilities at the Gas Hub in Paloco, Bayelsa state.
According to him: “The Council today approved a contract to Messrs Black Springs Limited to construct internal roads and drainages in NCDM gas hub located at Paloco in Bayelsa State.
“The gas hub is to encourage the development of companies that will process our gas and develop our gas and to deepen the use of gas internally and to be able to process gas for export and to also construct cylinder.
“Already there are companies that are in the gas hub – Shell Nigeria gas is already located in the hub, Roll gas is already located in the hub. So these drainages and roads and the developments in that hub is expected to encourage more companies to come into that hub to be able to deepen the development of gas. This is in furtherance of commitments to the decade of gas as declared by Mr. President, from 2021-2030.”
FEC also approved the sum of N28.1 billion for the augmentation of road and other infrastructural projects in Wasa District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Minister of the FCT, Mohammed Bello, who disclosed this while speaking to newsmen said, “Council approved the revised estimated total cost of the contract for the provision of engineering infrastructure to Wasa Affordable Housing District in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
“Council augmented the cost of the project to be completed in 42 months by N28,117,904,027.00 from the sum of N56,925,048,940.98 approved in 2014 to a new contract figure of N85,042,952,967.98 . The District has a total area of 367.11 hectares.”
Also briefing newsmen, Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, blamed the recent traffic on the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway on the attitude of some drivers and the weather condition which slowed down the progress of work on the remaining six-kilometre to be completed.
He added that: “I also heard that some aggrieved students, under the aegis of NANS, are also going on to the road in order to protest. My respectful view is that that is not helpful at all to the citizens. The right to protest is a very well protected right in our Constitution, but it does not include the right to inflict pain and inconvenience on other people.
“So, whilst their protests can go on, they should refrain from blocking the road in order to do their protest, that in itself is a violation of law, if they are well advised.”
On his part, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, disclosed that FEC also approved the contract for local manufacture of COVID-19 vaccine in collaboration with Bio Vaccine Limited.
According to him, the Bio Vaccine Limited billed to commence production of vaccine at the expiration of the subsidies expected from GAVI in 2028, has 49 per cent federal government investment.
He added that Nigerians are currently being trained in South Africa, South Korea and India to ensure technology transfer ahead of the planned production of vaccines by the Bio Vaccine Limited.
Ehanire said: “By 2028 the support we used to get from GAVI to subsidize our vaccines will expire. And by that time, we should be producing our own vaccine domestically. And we are supporting Bio Vaccine Nigeria Limited to be that manufacturer soon in Nigeria.
“The contract for manufacturing that was approved today will be done for bio vaccine. But before the end of this year, the groundbreaking will start because they already draw the plan, the structural plan everything is already completed, the survey has been done, the approval has been given and then with this partnership now, they will now break the ground and start building right away.
“Yes, of course, it’s technology transfer. And it’s like bringing new technology and domiciling it with Bio Vaccine Nigeria limited. In fact, the staff training has already begun. Part of the training has been in South Africa, part of the training has been in South Korea and then of course, Serium Institute of India will now do the rest. And during the technology transfer of course, there will also be the handing over of knowledge and skills.”
