Delta earmarks 2,800 hectares of land for $26b gas city

2,800 hectares of land at Ogidigben, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State has been earmarked by the Delta State Government for the take off of Africa’s largest gas city.
Besides Ogidigben, other communities to benefit from the project include Itsekiri, Ijaw in Delta State and and Ilaje in the neighbouring Ondo State.
The gas city, according to the Governor of the state, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, worth $26 billion, will have among other things a refinery, a gas plant, a fertilizer processing plant and a petrochemical plant.
The governor swung into serious campaigns among major stakeholders in the area for cooperation to ensure its success.
At a stakeholders’ meeting he organised to pave the way for its construction in Ogidigben in the Warri axis of the oil rich state, the governor sued for cooperation from the host communities, begging the youths not to kidnap the contractors, rob or vandalise their equipment.
The multi-billion dollar project, according to him, comprises the Escravos Gas To Liquid, almost similar to the one being constructed by Chevron Nigeria Limited, and expected to be completed in seven years.
“The plant”, the governor enthused, “when made functional, will provide employment for more than 200,000 persons/specialists in different skills and professional qualifications.”
The highly elated governor enjoined the people of the area to cooperate with the Federal Government, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation and the expatriate contractors who would handle the project.
Governor Uduaghan, who described the project as “a blessing to Delta State”, was optimistic that the development will not only strengthen the economy of the state but create thousands of employment opportunities for people in the state and the country at large.
He asked the people to therefore shun negative actions and comments that may send wrong signals to the international community.
He said: “I appeal to you all to cooperate with us in ensuring that this project gets underway and is successful.
“We have done it with the EGTL project so we already have a template for success.
“All we have to do is to activate the same template and ensure that this project is delivered on schedule.”
Uduaghan said he was hopeful that the project would put an end to gas flaring.
The Group Executive Director (Gas and Power, NNPC), David Ige, said the project would be privately-driven even-though it aimed at “proper utilization of the nations hydrocarbon reserves and expanding the wealth of the country.”
Ige, who lauded Governor Uduaghan’s large heart in ensuring that the project remained in Delta State, however, appealed for necessary cooperation so that the project could be delivered within the stipulated time.