Gov Emmanuel commends Ovia over $1.5bn petrochemical plant

(Nigeria) Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has commended the initiative of Mr. Jim Ovia, the Chairman of Quantum Petrochemicals Company Limed for establishing a $1.5 billion methanol plant in Ibeno of the state.

Governor Emmanuel, who addressed newsmen in Uyo, said “We want to thank Mr. Ovia, the Chairman of Quantum Petrochemicals Limited for making this huge investment in our state. When completed, this plant will generate employment opportunity for thousands of our people and help in the industrialization drive of my administration.

“Mr. Ovia is a man of impeccable character, who believes in the endless possibilities of this nation to rise to the dreams of our founding father as a prosperous nation with opportunity for growth and advancement open to all who dream and aspire.  We are honoured to have him invest in our state.”

He also said that the state government had put everything in place for the take-off of the plant. “We have done the environmental impact assessment, the Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) has been issued and site has been cleared and ready for work to start.  Once the gas purchase agreement with Exxon Mobile is finalized, work will commence immediately,” he said.

It will be recalled that former President Goodluck Jonathan had on August 14 last year, performed the ground breaking ceremony in Ibeno for the construction of $1.5 billion petrochemical and gas plant.

At the event, Mr. Ovia  had said that the  effect the plant would have in the state and the nation in general  “Petrochemicals are vital to our everyday life- the plastic bottles that allow us to drink sanitary water, the clothes that we wear, the fertilizers that are used to grow crops, the tires on our cars that brought us here today, the shovel that we will use to break the ground today; the pharmaceuticals we take every day to enjoy a healthy life, are all derivatives of the petrochemicals of some form.”