The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), has chided the Federal Government for locating mini Liquefied Natural Gas Plants (LNGPs) in Ajaokuta, Kogi State, describing it as a misplaced priority in the first instance and denying the Niger Delta Region what could have aided its development even faster.
PANDEF stated this through a communiqué issued by its Board of Trustees (BoT) to newsmen by its national publicity secretary, Dr Obiuwevbi Ominimini, on Monday in Abuja.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), last month, in Ajaokuta, Kogi State, had flagged off the construction of the mini LNGPs saying it was part of its commitment to driving the country’s gas revolution while it also described the initiative as steps to expand Nigeria’s domestic gas utilization which is expected to boost energy access, support industrialisation and create job opportunities.
Condemning the location of the plants in strong terms, Ominimini said the Forum regret the decision of NNPC to join some private sectors to develop five new LNG, CNG and LPG complexes in Kogi State with none in the Niger Delta where the gas for most of the activities of the plants will come from.
He said apart from the fact that the idea negates all known economic parameters on siting industries close to the source of raw materials, it gives credence to the long-standing agitations on the fact that the NNPC and its management continue to pursue very unfair policies towards the South-South zone.
The Forum equally called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the national oil company to redress the situation and equally accelerate similar investments in the Niger Delta which should also include the siting of the mini refineries in the region.
“In the principle of establishment of industries, which all of you know, there is what we call proximity to the source of raw materials, you connect that (pipelines) all the way from Urhoboland in Delta State in Niger Delta, all the way from Edoland to Kogi to establish five mini LNG Plants. What happens to the people who have the raw materials, the gas? You don’t even consider giving them anyone.
“What PANDEF is saying is that the people that have the gas, that bear the brunt of the oil exploitation and exploration, should at least be the first people to be considered. And we have been calling on the Federal Government to establish an LNG plant in Niger Delta, in fact in Delta State, Bayelsa State, Akwa Ibom State, in Rivers State. These mini LNG plants could be scattered anywhere in Niger Delta. And what will it be? It will serve as giving back to the people of the area because it will generate employment for the people of the area.
“So, the Federal Government is wicked in their thinking to consider five mini LNG plants for Kogi State running pipes all the way from Niger Delta to supply those five mini LNG plants. Which one is even cheaper to do, is it to establish it at the source of the raw materials or to connect pipes across hundreds of kilometres to Kogi State?
“We ask the Federal Government to reverse that decision. In fact, a time will come when our people will react spontaneously. The Nigerian government is treating Niger Delta as if we are second-class citizens. And we resist it, we hereby say no to it. We cannot be treated as second-class citizens in our own people country. We must key to the vision of the founding fathers of this country. And what is their vision? The vision is the ability to control your resources and pay taxes to the centre. This was what our founding fathers for at Independence.”
PANDEF also called on the President to assent to the bill for the establishment of the South-South Development Commission (SSDC) which has been passed by the National Assembly at the same time as the bills establishing other regional development commissions.
“We subscribe to the desirability of having a Development Commission for all the six geographic zones of the country without exception and therefore view this withholding of assent as a grave oversight or error, capable of creating a feeling of exclusion and dejection on the part of the people of the South-South.
“The non-assent of this bill leaves the South-South region orphaned within the broader context of regional development commissions which include the North East Development Commission (NEDC), North West Development Commission (NWDC), South West Development Commission (SWDC), North Central Development Commission (NCDC), all of which are now legal entities.
“The non-signing of this law could have a negative impact on the present state of peace which exists in the Niger Delta and the favourable environment which it creates for the upsurge in the production of oil and gas in the country.
“PANDEF BOT, therefore, calls on Mr President to remedy the oversight which has resulted in the delay to assent to this bill and sign it without delay as this is only fair and just manner of treating the south-south zone as bonafide citizens of this country who deserve not to be discriminated against,” Ominimini concluded.
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