U.S.-based businessman, Mr
Charles Ihaza, says he has acquired about 453.9 hectares of land to establish a
modular refinery in Eghudu, Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo.
Ihaza said this at an Open
Forum organised on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the proposed
refinery in Benin.
He said that the project would
cost over two billion U.S. dollars, adding that the refinery would produce
about 80,000 barrels of refined petroleum products daily.
“I know what it takes to
establish and manage a refinery, and we are already discussing with the
relevant Federal Government agencies on the immediate commencement of the
project.
“I decided to site the
refinery in Eghudu so as to help our people back home in Nigeria, and I am very
passionate about this project.
“As part of our social
corporate responsibilities to the host community, we are going to construct
roads, build satellite clinics, standard primary and secondary schools and a
functional international market,’’ he said.
Ihaza, therefore, solicited
the cooperation of the members of the community, urging them to work with the
site engineers and other workers toward the successful execution of the
project.
Earlier, Mr Larry Edosomwan,
who presented the EIA Report on behalf of the consultants, Vokosen Ltd., said
that the report had captured all the socio-economic needs of the host
community.
“We have looked at the
positive social and economic needs of the community, the aquatic environment,
drainage and sewage management and treatment of effluents.
“Forests will not be destroyed
and wherever it happens, we will plant new trees.
“We have ensured that we met
all the requirements of the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Department
of Petroleum Resources (DPR). We will mitigate all negative environmental
impacts,’’ he said.
Mr Joshua Taiwo, spokesman for
the Minister of Environment, Alhaji Ibrahim Jubril, said that he was
particularly happy that the project was named after the community.
Taiwo said that the refinery
project would provide jobs for the people and improve the socio-economic lives
of the residents of the area.
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