BY GODWIN IJEDIOGOR
DELTA State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has said that fixing the country’s refineries would save it the scarce foreign exchange spent on fuel importation.
The governor said when Nigeria stops importation of petroleum products, there would be less pressure on the Naira against the dollar, urging the Federal Government to expedite action in rehabilitating the refineries.
Oborevwori, speaking while receiving the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Turnaround Maintenance of Nigerian Refineries, led by Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, at Government House, Asaba, said: “I am happy that you people are here today. I can see some of my good friends that we served together as speakers.
“I have the full confidence that this committee will do a very good job. I want to say it here that this assignment is not a jamboree; it is an assignment with seriousness and I believe that with your oversight function and the right thing done and our refineries are put in order, the issue of fuel importation will be a thing of the past, because it is costing us a lot and we are having challenges with forex.
“So, if our refineries are working and things are going very well, it will also boost the economy of this country.
“I want to assure you of our support in Delta State. Any support you need to aid your oversight work, we are going to give you in Delta.”
Earlier, Ubah, who explained that the committee was in the state on oversight function to turnaround the refineries, said: “We are here to look into the rehabilitation of our refineries, the issues surrounding crude oil theft, how we can maximise the output of our country’s crude oil and also how we can support issues that have to do with upstream, downstream, Niger Delta affairs and host communities of Niger Delta.
“So it is a holistic committee. As a tradition of the Senate, we felt that we must come to pay homage to you, the governor, and we are glad that you gave us the opportunity to come and see you.”
In an interview with journalists later, Ubah assured that the refineries would come on stream before the end of the year, noting: “We will continue to give them close monitoring to make sure that all ‘s’ are dotted and all ‘ts are crossed.”
On oil theft, he said: “We are going to set up a public hearing, the portal will be opened next week, and we will have our inaugural launch in Rivers State. From there, we will come to Delta and visit all the states in the Niger Delta.
“It is only when you get close to the people, their locality that they can tell you what is happening and you will know how to cure it. So, that is one of our responsibilities in our committee.”
Regarding the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the senator stated: “It’s a bit of it that is not being implemented and we are also going through that to make sure that we get it working.
“It is not an easy thing; you know the culture and what we Nigerians are. Sooner than later, you will start seeing the work.”
