Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, has given reasons why the $16 billion Ogidigben Gas Project seemed abandon.
He blamed security challenges which sent fears down the spin of would be investors, assuring,however, that the process of getting investors back to the table had begun.
The Ogidigben Gas Project in Warri South-West council area of Delta State, was inaugurated by the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, but was delayed due to insecurity.
The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli, had three weeks ago urged the Federal Government to begin work on the project, saying it has the potential of transforming the Delta State economy.
The monarch regretted that it had been abandoned since January 2015 after its inauguration, noting that when completed, it will make the country a global gas hub and touch peoples’ lives positively.
Sylva, however, said while government has begun the process to get the project back on stream, the cooperation of host communities as well and peace in the Niger Delta woiuld was needed to develop the area and create jobs.
“The Ogidigben Gas Project isn’t abandoned at all, I can tell you that. Unfortunately, before now, Ogidigben project was affected by security issues. When they tried the project, there were some security issues around it and the investors got worried.
“We must understand, as Nigerians and as Niger Deltans that they say that the Dollar is a coward, it doesn’t like to go to any place where it is threatened. So if you have insecurity in the Niger Delta, you will have such problems.
“However, we have also started discussing the Ogidigben Project again. If you listened to me while I was in Riyadh last year, the Ogidigben Project was in the front burners and it is a project that we really hope to achieve and I believe that between us and the communities, cooperation and peace from the area, the project can be achieved.
“Nigeria needs a project like that because the country needs to drive activities. There’s no magic about creating jobs in the oil industry. The only way to create jobs in the industry is to create activities in the industry. So if an Ogidigben Project starts, a project worth $16 billion, in the Niger Delta, you can only imagine how many jobs will be created.
“As a government, we are keen on that project and we are discussing it, but what we are also asking for from the communities and the entire Niger Delta region is peace in the whole of the area so that we can focus on the development of projects and create jobs in the region.”