Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki (right) and the Managing Director, Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Limited (ERPC), Tim Tian, during the governor’s visit to the Edo Modular Refinery in Ologbo, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.

The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has said the Edo Modular Refinery, being developed by Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited (ERPC) with support from the Edo State Government, is ready for operations. 

Obaseki stated this shortly after the Managing Director in charge of the refinery, Tim Tian, conducted him round the facilities.

According to the governor, “We travelled to China last three years to sign this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU); I am very impressed that work has moved at such an astounding speed, in spite of the delay caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.

“The plant is ready to receive crude oil; it is ready to process and deliver products. They have done the pre-commissioning with the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR). They have certified the refinery as ready for production.

“What we have left now is to finalise the crude oil sale contract; these facilities have to get a certain type of crude from the Escravos line and that is being finalised. I hope that before the end of August, we should start lifting products from these facilities,” he said.

Also, the traditional ruler of Ologbo community, Owen Akenzua, said that he is glad that a project of such magnitude is sited in his community.

“My people are excited that such a project will go a long way in improving the socio-economic development of our community. The governor has this project dear to his heart; not only this project, the power plant is also situated in Ologbo.

“The OSSIOMO power plant is capable of generating power for the immediate environment and the state at large; we are glad that this project is sited here,” he said.

In his response, the Managing Director of the Edo Modular Refinery, Tim Tian, commended the governor for his contribution in the actualization of the project.

Tian, who attributed the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic as a major challenge, which affected the project, said the refinery is ready to produce crude oil products.