Niger Delta to benefit from multimillion naira investment in agric and modular refineries

The Niger Delta geopolitical region is in for the good times as some foreign technical partners mainly from China are investing over N12billion in mechanised agriculture in the region.
Also the deal, when fully operational, is expected to create over 6000 job opportunities for the people of the region.

It was further gathered exclusively that the deal comes into force in a couple of days time via an agreement to be signed between the foreign investors and the Host Communities Producing Oil and Gas Nigeria (HOSTCOM) under the leadership of Dr. Mike Emuh.
In a chat with Daily Times, Emuh disclosed that the deal, which is a trailblazer, has the support of the Presidency.
“On Friday, we (HOSTCOM) had a meeting with the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa Abuja.

” Majority of the notable individuals, traditional rulers and other key stakeholders from the Niger Delta region were in attendance and I must say we had a fruitful talk.
“This will soon crystallise into a big breakthrough for the region as in a couple of days from now some technical foreign partners mainly from China are in Nigeria to sign an agreement with HOSTCOM in the area of mechanised agriculture.

” The deal is worth well over N12billion investment and it will create over 6000 job opportunities which will go a long way in addressing the issue of unemployment in the region.
“Part of the deal involves the construction of over 600 housing units to solve problem of acute accommodation. The deal will stretch to about 20 years.

” Also, another group will be coming to convert gas flaring to energy. There is also a group of investors interested in converting regular refinery to modular refinery. They are from Dubai and we have taken them to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources where they have held useful deliberations with the officials of the ministry.

“With this, those boys who are into illegal bunkering will be taught to do the right thing and preserve our resources and environment in line with international standards,” he disclosed.

In another vein, the Daily Times gathered that the Federal Government has agreed to award 40 percent of pipeline surveillance contract to the people of the host communities while the remaining 60 percent would be awarded to others.

“We are presently engaged in town hall meetings to create an enabling environment for IOCs and NOCs so that we can assure them that they have nothing to fear if they eventually relocate their operational headquarters in the Niger Delta as stipulated by the law.
“It is expensive and quite risky for the oil companies to be using chopper to shuttle between Lagos and the Niger Delta.

“They should please feel secured and free to return to their operational base in the Niger Delta and contribute their quota to the development of the region,” Dr. Emuh concluded.