Integrated Oil dismisses reports about Nigeria’s first modular refinery

…Communities laud project initiative
Integrated Oil and Gas Limited has dismissed the purported allegation that construction works at its N116 million modular refinery project was affecting buildings around the Tomaro Island.

The Chairman, Integrated Oil and Gas Limited, Immanuel Iheanacho, described the allegation as a calculated attempt to discard the integrity of the project, which is expected to emerge as the first modular refinery in Nigeria.

According to him, the company has not started any construction work or dredging activity on the site because it has not received the Approval to Construct from the Department of Petroleum Resources, therefore it could not bé destroying properties.

This is coming as the community leaders at the stakeholders’ forum held in Lagos at the weekend lauded the project and its prospects of raising the standards of living of the host communities.

The Tomaro refinery, cited on a 90 hectares of land in Amuwo Odofin Local council area is expected to commence production with Automated Gas Oil (AGO) otherwise known as diesel, Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK), export quality aviation fuel, Naphta and fuel oil.

With the take-off capacity of 20,000 barrels per day (bpd), Iheanacho, said the plant would bé upgraded to produce Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol, as operations progress.

The facility is designed as one-stop shop to comprise refinery plant, storage facility, flour mill, ship repair yard, helipad for aviation operations to offshore platforms and resort centres.

He said the project would also create massive employment for the teeming youths of the country.

Iheanacho said investigations showed that the petitioner went to various sites around Lagos and unduly painted the pictures as Tomaro Island where the refinery is planned to bé situated.

The communique issued after the stakeholders’ meeting and made available to The Guardian had a five-point resolution where the communities dissociated themselves from the petition written by Raymond Gold and articulated by Christina Armstrong Ogbonna, and that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process had started as far back as December 2015 and currently on-going.

The communique jointly signed by the representatives of the Ministry of Environment, Mrs. Okoawoh Doris; Lagos State Government, Mrs. Abiola Mary; and the Project Environment Consultant, Mohammed Alhassan, insisted that Mr. Raymond Oloriode Gold should apologise to all relevant regulatory bodies and the Integrated Oil and Gas Limited for the embarrasment that he has caused all concerned.

Leader of the Baales at the Onisiwo Island, and Baale of Agala II, Chief Lamina Akesode, said, “The people of the communities aare supporting the project because we have been expecting such project for long and we believe that it will boost the standard of living of our people and enhance community development”.