OKOWA SUPPORTS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S OIL SECTOR REFORMS

 Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (left) and the Chief Operating Officer (COO) Refineries, Mr Anibor Kragha

DELTA State Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has thrown his weight behind the reforms being carried out by the Federal Government in the oil sector.

The governor who received the management of Warri Refinery and Petro-Chemical Company (WRPC) led by the company’s Chief Operating Officer (Refineries), Mr. Anibor Kragha, in Asaba, observed that though, the reforms would cause immediate pains for Nigerians, the long-term benefits cannot be quantified.

According to him, “if the
refineries succeed, Nigeria succeeds and different states succeed because the importation of fuel has negatively impacted the revenue of government; all the state governments are in support of the liberalisation of down-stream oil sector of the economy because, we are caught in a web as the price of oil is very low and there are no foreign exchange to continue to import fuel.”

“I sympathize with all Nigerians, we did not anticipate this situation, I believe the Federal Government will find ways to cushion the effects of the liberalisation but, above all, there are lessons to be learnt from the situation; we need to diversify our economy as quickly as possible,” he stated, adding, “the restructuring of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the liberalisation of the down-stream oil sector if followed through thoroughly will impact positively on the economy and create jobs for the citizenry.”

Governor Okowa used the occasion to decry the activities of pipeline vandals, observing that these activities had negative effect on the environment and the resources of the country.

Earlier, Mr Kragha thanked Governor Okowa’s administration for its commitment towards providing the enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the state.