Igbeaku Orji The Abia State Government has cleared all physical and infrastructural hurdles to pave the way for the formal commencement of the modular refinery project at the Abia Industrial and Innovation Park (AIIP), scheduled to begin construction in the second quarter of 2025.
Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, disclosed this while providing updates on the AIIP project.
He noted that the Federal Government had earlier granted approval for the refinery, which will be built and operated by HSI with a production capacity of 10,000 barrels per day.
“The state government is making steady progress on the AIIP project. To this effect, compensation payments to all affected landowners have been completed,” Kanu said.
“Bush clearing and earthworks have commenced around the project site, particularly around the modular refinery area. Full construction is expected to begin this quarter, as we enter the month of May.”
According to Kanu, the refinery is expected to ensure a steady supply of petroleum products in the state, especially now that the Osisioma depot is operational.
He added that the State government is working with the NNPC Port Harcourt Refinery and NNPC Retail Management to secure regular allocations of petroleum products for Abia State.
The Commissioner also revealed that the State Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources has commissioned a statewide study on solid mineral deposits across Abia.
The study is aimed at assessing the quantity and commercial viability of mineral resources such as limestone, kaolin, lignite, granite, lead, and zinc.
“Once the study is completed and the data collated, the government will determine which mineral resources to prioritize and open up opportunities for investors to mine commercially,” Kanu explained.
On infrastructure, Kanu stated that work is ongoing at 36 locations under the Direct Labour Rehabilitation and Reconstruction initiative. Additionally, road projects under contract are progressing at 31 sites, with all contractors actively on site.
He highlighted three recently launched projects: the construction of the Bende–Idima–Abam Road, the Ariaria–Timber Market Road in Aba, and the dualization of the Obuaku–Industrial City Road in Ukwa West Local Government Area.
