ExxonMobil Supports IPEA Training on Environmental Awareness

The Ibom Programme on Environmental Awareness (IPEA), an initiative of the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Environment & Mineral Resources in partnership with ExxonMobil, has held a training workshop for advocacy team members in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The one-day training was designed to empower IPEA personnel to effectively enlighten people at motor parks, schools, abattoirs, restaurants and other locations as part of the recently-launched environmental awareness campaign in Akwa Ibom State.

The Ibom Programme on Environmental Awareness (IPEA) is an initiative aimed at creating awareness on pollution, and helping the citizens of Akwa Ibom state develop positive environmental values that will enable them manage instances of environmental pollution that may occur, as well as prevent potential environmental hazards from happening.

In his remark at the training, the General Manager, Public and Government Affairs, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Mr. Paul Arinze, represented by Mrs Regina Udobong, called on the participants to live up to expectation on the campaign. According to her, ‘ExxonMobil expects the participants to take full advantage of the training programme to sharpen their skills to educate target audiences and encourage best practices to curtail all kinds of environmental pollution – air, water and earth pollution’.

Mr. Arinze reiterated ExxonMobil’s commitment to the environment which has been demonstrated by the company’s partnership with Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Environment & Mineral Resources to achieve a cleaner and safer environment.

Declaring the training open, the Commissioner for Environment & Mineral Resources, Prince Enobong Uwah, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Mineral Resources, Mrs Atim Enoh, commended ExxonMobil for supporting the environmental awareness campaign. According to him ‘the State Ministry of Environment & Mineral Resource is grateful to ExxonMobil for sponsorship of IPEA. This gesture by ExxonMobil reflects its commitment to cleaner environment in Akwa Ibom State’.

Prince Uwah advised the participants to make good use of the opportunity offered by the training to ensure that objectives of campaign were achieved.

The training witnessed presentations by resource persons including Dr. James Asuquo, a lecturer in the Department of Chemistry, University of Uyo and Mr. Stephen Erakpotobar, an environmental expert. The training focused on key issues such as sources of water, air and land pollution and remedies and behavioural change communication in environmental management.  

It will be recalled that the Ibom Programme on Environmental Awareness was launched on June 5, 2013 in Uyo by Governor Godswill Akpabio.

ExxonMobil Signs Agreement on 500MW Power Plant

Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPN), operator of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and MPN Joint Venture, has signed a Seller’s Representative Agreement (SRA) for the Qua Iboe Power Project, located at Mobil’s Qua Iboe terminal in Akwa Ibom State.

The proposed power project includes the construction of a 500megawatt-capacity power plant as well as a 56-kilometre transmission line connecting the plant to the national grid at Ikot Abasi, also in the state.

MPN’s General Manager in charge of Public and Government Affairs, Mr. Paul Arinze, said in a statement that the signing of the SRA was “a critical part of the overall commercial framework that enables MPN to undertake power activities and facilitates the sale of power by MPN to Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc for itself and on behalf of the NNPC.”

Also speaking on the agreement, the Managing Director of Mobil Producing Nigeria, Mr. Mark Ward, said the project “is a tangible demonstration of MPN’s commitment to Nigeria and supports the president’s priority of providing electricity to the country.”

FG Upgrades Ibom Power Transmission Network

The Federal Government has commenced the upgrade of the transmission line between Eket and Uyo, as well as Uyo and Itu, all in Akwa Ibom State. The existing transmission line can only allow the power plant to evacuate a maximum of 70megawatts, instead of an optimum average of 173MW.

Power for consumers in Akwa Ibom State is provided through a 132kV transmission line which runs from Ibom Power Plant in the South through Eket and Uyo to Itu in the North where it connects to other parts of the national grid.

Part of the line between Ibom Power Plant and Eket, which was constructed at the same time as the power plant can carry over 200MW, but the older line between Eket, Uyo and Itu can only carry 75MW.

The upgrade of the transmission line will be executed in two phases, with the first phase covering Eket to Uyo expected to last for 40 days. During the period of the upgrade or restringing of the line, Ibom Power Plant would provide power for consumers in Eket and its environs. However, stated that the national grid would provide power for consumers served by Uyo and Itu substations.

Eton Group to Fund $1.7bn Greenfield Refinery

Eton Group in conjunction with Qua Petroleum Refinery Ltd is to invest about $1.7 billion in the construction of a Greenfield Refinery in Akwa Ibom State. Speaking at the signing ceremony of the agreement in Abuja, Director of Eton Finance Private Ltd, Allen Rennie, said when operational, the refinery will produce about 100,000 barrel per day. He explained that, “the financing by the Eton Group is for $1.7 billion, while $1.4 billion represents funds for the re-engineering and construction of the export designated refinery for Qua Petroleum Refinery.”

Rennie, stated that $300 million had been earmarked for start-up, operations and feed stock. The deal will complete all financial and administrative formalities within the next two months, after which, re-engineering, approval for fabrication and construction phases will be provided before the end of the year.

A representative of Qua Petroleum Refinery, Essien Ekanem, said when approval is received from the Directorate of Petroleum Resources (DPR), the construction of the refinery is expected to last 18 to 24 months, with first production billed for late 2014 or early 2015.

Eton Group, a major financier of the project has presence in the USA, Malaysia, Japan, UK and operate in Nigeria under the auspices of the Niger-Delta Refinery and Petrochemicals Company Ltd.

76 Oil Wells: A’Ibom to Renegotiate with C’River

Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio says his state is willing to dialogue with Cross River over the disputed 76 oil wells, which the Supreme Court awarded to Akwa Ibom in a July 10 ruling. Akpabio said this saturday in Uyo during the state’s monthly prayer meeting held at John’s Chaplaincy, in the Governor’s Lodge.

The oil wells had been the subject of a fierce political dispute between the two sister states, which shifted to the court when Cross River went to the Supreme Court to claim ownership of the wells. It joined the federal government as a defendant in the suit, which, among other prayers, sought to compel the federal government and Akwa Ibom State to pay N15.5 billion to Cross River State as 13 per cent derivation from November 2009 to March 2010.

But the apex court ruled by a unanimous decision that the 76 oil wells belonged to Akwa Ibom State. The court also dismissed an application filed by Cross River State a few days to the judgement asking it to stay action on the judgement because Akwa Ibom had, allegedly, presented a doctored map of the Nigeria-Cameroon boundary as part of the documents it submitted to the court. But Akpabio said, “Akwa Ibom is extending a further hand of fellowship that despite the Supreme Court judgement, Akwa Ibom is ready to enter into dialogue with Cross River State to end the issue of the 76 oil wells.”

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/76-oil-wells-a-ibom-to-renegotiate-with-c-river/122726/ 

Oil Wells: Cross River turns down N250m monthly largesse from Akwa Ibom

The Cross River state government has rejected the N250 million monthly payments from akwa Ibom state saying that it was a degrading offer which portrayed the leadership of Cross River as opportunistic and irresponsible. This was made public by the Cross River state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Mr Attah Ochinke at a press conference. Ochinke said it was not correct to say that Cross River rejected overtures for amicable settlement with Akwa Ibom rather the Cross River government went to court to enforce the settlement that had already been reached.

According to him, "The matter had been settled and agreement written and it was implemented for three years, so what has happened for the parties to now withdraw from that agreement?
The government of Akwa Ibom said they offered us when the matter was in court, N250 million a month as a peaceful settlement on the matter. I do not know when the matter will be settled but I am very certain of one thing, if we do not recover the territory it is not because it does not belong to us, but because we are unable to recover the territory”.

It would be recalled that the Supreme Court had in recent judgement ceded 76 oil wells which Cross River laid claims to Akwa Ibom. In the aftermath of the judgment, Gov. Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom had offered to pay Cross River N250 million as grant to cushion the pains of the loss.