IPMAN seeks support for refinery, petrochemical projects

By Etuka Sunday

The Independent Petroleum Marketer Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has appealed to the Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo to support the body in the areas of access to power and transmission facilities. This it said was to ensure the full realization of the potentials from mthe 2 proposed refinery and petrochemical projects. The two projects to be located in Itobe, Kogi State and Agge in Balyesa State are scheduled to be delivered in two years according to Dr. Bestman Anekwe, Chairman, NIPCO Plc. The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo commended the fore sight of IPMAN in looking beyond the myopic scope of average the business man, who is always interested in importation and profit, “to entrepreneur, you will have our support in your mission to spread oil and gas facilities across the country”.

He said “no country becomes great by mere exporting nature endowed resources while on the other hand importing finished goods from overseas”.  “We must add-value to what natural resources that we produce, we are happy at what IPMAN is doing, we must give our support”.

A statement by the Deputy Director, Press of the Ministry, Timothy Oyedeji quoted the Minister to have observed that the proposed projects will key into the Government transformation agenda as the long-term plan of President Goodluck Jonathan Administration is to revolutionalize gas exploration and utilization so that the country can fully harness its gas potentials as the power house of the world gas with the 7th largest proven reserve. He assured IPMAN that its request for Independent Power Project (IPP) for the two plants will be granted, noting that the Kogi State location, is even well positioned, as there are already built power generation and transmission infrastructure in the area.

He told the IPMAN delegation that his Ministry is already in a good working relationship with the Petroleum Ministry, “this existing synergy will be fully exploited to ensure the realization of the projects on record time”. Earlier, the National Chairman of IPMAN, Chinedu Okoronkwo told the Minister that his body is poised to add-value to its activities in the oil and gas sector, stressing that the body will also redress the existing capital flight that has characterized the sector as a result of lack of adequate Refinery facilities in the country. IPMAN as a good corporate citizen of Nigeria intends to build indigenous capacity in Refinery and petrochemicals, adding that these facilities will create jobs and provide support base for Government programmes, especially in the area of diversification strategy.