Governor Udom Emmanuel has asked the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for a licence to operate a modular refinery in Akwa Ibom State, being a major oil producer in the country.
“We need a depot there for aviation fuel. We might not wait for a big refinery, just a licence for a modular refinery. We don’t have a single presence of the oil and gas in Akwa Ibom,” the governor said.
Udom spoke while playing host to the management of NNPC Upstream, led by the group executive director, Adokiye Tombomieye, in Uyo, the state capital.
The governor, who expressed appreciation to the management of NNPC Upstream, for choosing Akwa Ibom to host its three-day retreat, applauded their initiative towards making the corporation a Limited Liability Company, urging them to brace up for the task ahead of the new responsibilities.
He thanked the management of the NNPC for its transparency in publishing financial reports of the corporation, describing it as unprecedented. The governor, however, urged them not to relent in their commitment to bridging existing gaps so as to fully restore the confidence of the people.
“Congratulations on the restructuring of NNPC, the boldness to do this will give you opportunities. Some of you that are group heads have written your names on plaque because once you restructure and put the structure, strategy, the system there will enable that structure to run, history will never forget any of you, but unfortunately, something about restructuring, if you get it wrong, history will crucify you.
“So it is something that no matter how you are pushed by the government or politicians you have to be focused on it as a professional because of the expectations from the people.
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“This is the first batch of management in NNPC that we have seen a financial report and it’s to your credit and it is timely too.
“I think the first audit of NNPC is done by your regime. So if you began a good work, take it to the end”.
He appealed to the NNPC to relocate its corporate headquarters to occupy a smart office accommodation at the Dakkada Towers in the state, adding that “four floors are there for the entire group, DPR, NAPIMS, NNPC”.
The governor also called for partnership with the state in its industrialisation drive, requesting for licence to build a modular refinery that will produce aviation fuel at the Uyo airport.
“We are looking at all the gateways that can promote tourism and development and we need the support of NNPC and product marketers. Right now we are building the smartest terminal building in Africa that will process one million passengers every year,” he added.
The group executive director, NNPC Upstream, and leader of the delegation, Adokiye Tombomieye, thanked Governor Emmanuel for the warm reception accorded them. H said the NNPC was transiting from a corporation to a limited liability company, as one of the steps of restructuring the corporation for efficient and effective service to Nigerians.
Tombomieye said the essence of holding a retreat in the state has been to review the performance of the corporation in the last three quarters, remarking that the exercise has been successful.
“As you are aware NNPC is going through a transition, we are transiting from a corporation to a limited liability company by the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), Tombomieye said.
