Revamp Refineries To Resolve Forex Crisis – Oborevwori

By Stephen Asaba-ase

The Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori has said that refurbishing our refineries and making them functional in Nigeria again would solve the nation foreign exchange in fuel importation.

Congress news learnt that the Governor stated this while he was receiving the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Turnaround Maintenance of Nigerian Refineries led by Senator Ifeanyi Ubah at Government House, Asaba.

Meanwhile, the Governor also pointed out that when the Country regulates the importation of petroleum products, the Dollar against naira would be stabilised. Therefore, “i urged the Federal Government to facilitate action in revamping the Country’s refineries.

“I am happy that you people are here today. I can see some of my good friends that we started together as Speakers.

“I have the full conviction that this Ad-hoc committee will do a very wonderful job. I would want to affirm here that this project is not a jamboree; it is a project with great commitment and I have faith that your oversight function would be defined in the right perspective, the right thing should be done, that our refineries can be put in good shape.

“When this is done, the issue of fuel importation will be a thing of the past because it is causing us a lot and we are having challenges with forex.

“So if our refineries are functional and all other things being equal, it would boost the economy in the country at a fast pace.

“I want to assure you that Delta State is in full support of this project and aid your oversight works, we are going to give you the needed support in Delta.”

However, Senator Ubah, earlier stated that the Ad-hoc Committee was in the state of an oversight assignment on the turnaround nation’s refineries project

“We are here to survey the rehabilitation process of our refineries, the challenges shrouded crude oil theft, how we can optimize and strengthen the output of our country’s crude oil productivity and also support the upstream, downstream, Niger Delta affairs and host communities in the region.

As a tradition in the Senate, the Committee felt that we must come and pay homage to you the Executive Governor. We went to Rivers state and spent a few days with the Governor and we are glad that you gave us the opportunity to come and see you.”

Meanwhile, Senator Ubah assured that the Nigerian refineries would come on stream before the end of the year.

“For me to make that statement that the refineries will be up and streaming before the end of this year, you need to know my background. If I do not have that background, I would not say what I am not sure of.

“So we will continue to give them close monitoring to make sure that all i’s are dotted and all t’s crossed. I am sure that by the grace of God, the ‘RENEWED HOPE’ of Mr. President is not something that you can just take away for mere talk. It is working”, he said.

On oil theft, Senator Ubah 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 state 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.”

“The Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), he stressed, “its a bit of it that is not being executed and we are also going to make it work.