The National Secretary of PMAN, Alhaji Danladi Pasali, who disclosed this to newsmen yesterday in Jos, said the decision was taken following the return of peace and the change in the political and economic atmosphere in the state.

 

Pasali said, "We have concluded arrangement with two foreign firms from Britain, Blue Oil Company and Water Carbon Filed Energy to build two modular refineries. One refinery would be located in Plateau South while the other one would be built in Plateau North."

 

He said that following the approval of over 60 modular refineries in the country by President Muhammadu Buhari and the accommodative, peaceful as well as inclusive system of government demonstrated by the current administration in the state, the state would witness more and investors.

 

Pasali noted that investors have been driven away from Plateau state in the past because of attitude of previous governments and the protracted communal crisis in state, "but the measures put in place by the present government has restored the confidence of investors and a lot of other investors would storm the state.

 

President Buhari had within his first 100 days in office granted licences to Nigerian companies to construct modular refineries.

 

Modular refineries are mini-refineries with capacities ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 barrels per day (bpd) which can be assembled and separated easily for enhanced performance and efficiency.

 

The decision to award the licences may not be unconnected with his desire to see the increase in domestic refining capacity to meet local demand, thereby reducing huge import bills and addressing the perennial scarcity of petroleum products in the state and environs.

 

The federal government had in 2002 granted 18 similar licences but only one of them had come on stream with just 1,000 bpd capacity. The refinery is operated by Niger Delta Petroleum Resources, NDPR, which produces only automotive gas oil (AGO) popularly called diesel.

Source : allafrica.com