Ibe Kachikwu
The federal government yesterday disclosed plans to build three additional refineries in Kaduna, Warri and Port Harcourt.
Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu who dropped the hint at a town hall meeting organised by the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, in Kaduna also disclosed federal government’s intention to export petroleum product by the year 2019.
According to him, the federal government will provide free gas cylinders to every Nigerian which will be roll out next year with the aim of pulling Nigerians away from the use of kerosene.
Kachikwu who apologised to Nigerians for difficulties being experienced in terms of getting fuel in the country, said the refineries cannot work in top capacity “as long as we don’t have the foreign exchange to bring in the products, as long as the price of crude continues to slide.”
To solve the problems, the minister said, “More refineries have to be build, and the target is to build three more refineries to be located in Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Warri taking advantage on the share facilities.”
“And if we do this, by 2018 if all our refineries are working we will drop importation by 60 per cent. And by 2019 if the four located refineries begin to work and am sure it will, we will actually begin to export petroleum product for the first time in this country,” said Kachikwu.
For the upstream sector where production has been climbing down, Kachikwu said, “Our target is to move production up to 2.3million barrel, but I am personally committed to 2.5 million barrel.”
Expressing confidence on ending the perennial fuel shortages, Kachikwu said, “The blowing of pipelines cannot drive us back, we are committed. The days of hopelessness have passed, the days of careless expenditure are passed, the days of corruption are going, and we are heading to the future where we can deliver a country we can all be proud of.”
Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu who dropped the hint at a town hall meeting organised by the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, in Kaduna also disclosed federal government’s intention to export petroleum product by the year 2019.
According to him, the federal government will provide free gas cylinders to every Nigerian which will be roll out next year with the aim of pulling Nigerians away from the use of kerosene.
Kachikwu who apologised to Nigerians for difficulties being experienced in terms of getting fuel in the country, said the refineries cannot work in top capacity “as long as we don’t have the foreign exchange to bring in the products, as long as the price of crude continues to slide.”
To solve the problems, the minister said, “More refineries have to be build, and the target is to build three more refineries to be located in Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Warri taking advantage on the share facilities.”
“And if we do this, by 2018 if all our refineries are working we will drop importation by 60 per cent. And by 2019 if the four located refineries begin to work and am sure it will, we will actually begin to export petroleum product for the first time in this country,” said Kachikwu.
For the upstream sector where production has been climbing down, Kachikwu said, “Our target is to move production up to 2.3million barrel, but I am personally committed to 2.5 million barrel.”
Expressing confidence on ending the perennial fuel shortages, Kachikwu said, “The blowing of pipelines cannot drive us back, we are committed. The days of hopelessness have passed, the days of careless expenditure are passed, the days of corruption are going, and we are heading to the future where we can deliver a country we can all be proud of.”
Source: Leadership
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