MODULAR REFINERY: UDUF CALLS FOR INCLUSION OF NIGER DELTA INDIGENES IN 56 LICENCES APPROVED BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

The Urhobo Development and Unity Forum (UDUF) have cautioned the federal government on the exclusion of Niger Delta indigenes from the list of Licenses approved for modular refineries by the federal government.

In a statement signed by its National President, Honourable Sanco Ese, the group condemns the act and further cautioned that such moves is an invitation to increased illegal refining activities and renewed agitation in the oil rich Niger Delta region.

According to the national President of UDUF, “it would be recalled that the Federal Government in a bid to curb youth unrest and unemployment in the region recently approved the granting of licenses for the setting up of modular refineries bearing in mind that it would go a long way to find a lasting solution to pipeline vandalism and illegal refining activities and youth agitations in the region”.

Speaking further, the UDUF President General cautioned that the federal government should look into this issue with a view of taking further step to end the deliberate marginalization and insensitivity to the plight of the Niger Delta people.

“You will recall that recently the member representing Omoku constituency in the Rivers state House of Assembly, Hon. Christian Ahiakwo few days ago, revealed that ‘56 oil companies have been granted licenses to operate modular refineries in the Niger Delta region’ but none of this companies is owned by indigenes of the region”.

“It is quite sad that the only opportunity the people of the region have to benefit from their God given wealth has been denied through the prevention of providing an enabling legal framework to carry out their oil refining businesses”, Sanco stated.

In his words; “This act of perpetual marginalization of our people especially the Urhobo nation is tantamount to escalation of illegal refining in the Niger Delta. We have been agitating for a legal framework to operate and now that the government has approved it, the people of the region were also not given the opportunity to own a modular refinery just like the way we were also prevented from owning oil blocks in the region”.

The group called on Acting President (Prof) Yemi Osibanjo to take urgent step to remedy this situation bearing in mind that, this feeling of constant marginalization of our people was what gave rise to increase militancy in the Niger Delta region.

Once again we want to state that the Urhobo people are peace loving people and as the 5th largest ethnic nationality, we will not fold our hands and watch the region go through another round of crises, Sanco Ese emphasized.

We  therefore, call on the Acting President to take urgent step with a view to address the issue as it is capable of undermining the fragile peace and economic stability of the region in particular and the Nigerian state in general.