Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The 10,000-barrel liters per day modular refinery in Abia State is to commence in the month of May, Ikengaonline can authoritatively report.
Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, who disclosed this during a press briefing on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting, said the approval of the Federal Government had been secured on the multi-billion Naira project.
This, according to him, is a major breakthrough in the Abia Industrial and Innovative Park project located at Owaza in the oil-rich Ukwa land.
He said: “The State Government is making steady progress on the AIIP project and to this effect the payment of compensation to all affected landowners has been completed.
“Bush clearing and earth works around the project site have commenced, especially around the modular refinery site.
“Construction for the modular refinery will commence fully during the second quarter of the year and that’s, as we enter the month of May.
“This of course is as a result of the approval granted to HSI by the Federal Government to build and operate the 10,000 barrels per day capacity modular refinery at that AIIP site,” Prince Kanu stated.
The Commissioner further said that “in a bid to ensure steady supply of petroleum products in the state and particularly now that the Osisioma depot is operational, the state government has engaged the NNPC Port Harcourt refinery and NNPC Retails Management to ensure that Abia state gets sufficient and regular allocation of petroleum products.”
He also said that the State Government through the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, recently, commissioned a state-wide study on solid minerals across the state with a view to determining the quantities and commercial viability of the mineral deposits that dot the landscape of the state.
He listed the minerals to include amongst others, limestone, kaolin, lignite, granite, lead, zinc.
“By the time the results of the study come in fully, the State Government will be in a position to determine what or which amongst the mineral resources to actually go for and apparently allow interested investors to come in and mine,” the Commissioner explained.
He hinted that Abia State would be participating in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change holding in Bonn Germany between the 16th and 26th of June 2025.
According to him, Abia State Government’s participation in this global conference underscores the government’s commitment towards climate change adaptation and green energy.
“This conference will enable the State to ramp up its adaptation and mitigation efforts as the state puts together a technical dossier on climate change integrated responsibility,” Prince Kanu noted.
Speaking further, the Commissioner said that the earlier date for the commencement of the enforcement of registration by all commercial vehicles in the state has been shifted from the 1st of May to the 1st of June 2025.
He said that the shift in the date was because “Government wants to give more vehicle owners additional time to get their vehicles registered and participate fully in this exercise.”
On road infrastructure, he said that “work is ongoing at 36 locations under direct labour initiative; and 31 locations under contract.
He noted that three other road projects were flagged off recently: the construction of the Bende-Idima-Abam Road; construction of the Ariaria-Timber market Road in Aba; and the dualization of the Obuaku-Industrial City Road in the Ukwa West Local Government Area.
