We Need To Key Into FG Modular Refinery Model – Cross River Govt Tasks Residents

By Jonathan Ugbal

The Cross River State Government has called on Cross Riverians to key into the ongoing reformations in the Oil and Gas sector to ensure the state benefits from it.

The federal government had announced plans to build two modular refinery in each of the 36 states of the federation.

And, the Special Adviser to Governor Ben Ayade on Oil and Gas, Mr. Maurice Ekong told Ukay and Dr. Grove on Hit FM Wednesday morning that the state missed a lot during the amnesty period.

Mr. Ekong was joined on the program by Comrade Kingsley Biomoni, the Chief Marine Inspector of the PortHarcourt zone of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) who said the union aims at registering four classes of people; The point men, the owners, the boilers and the sellers.

“We aim to unionize them to protect their interest,” said Mr. Biomoni.

Mr. Maurice said that the lax attitude of Cross Riverians made the state lose out of the amnesty program and replied critics of the idea that the modular refineries were out of place due to reports that fossil fuel will soon be phased out with renewable energy sources.

Replying to a question on gas, Mr. Ekong said that: “Gas is the byproduct of fossil fuel. It is not late, it is still relevant, it is still important and this is the best time to key into it.

“People tell me that look, a lot of car manufacturing companies in the world are going into electric driven cars and for that reason gas is not relevant.

“But, they fail to understand that it is not the usage of refined petroleum product especially when you go into high powered industrial usage, you cannot depend on (public) electricity, you cannot depend on the nuclear, you depend on everyday diesel and petrol.

“It is not out of shape. I can give references that for the next 20 to 30 years that fossil fuel, as a means of power generation is still going to be very very relevant in the world.”

Mr. Ekong urged those in the sector to visit the oil and gas department page on Facebook to submit their details which he said is very confidential.