The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has begin work on establishment of Biofuel refinery at Alape in Kogi State.
The Leader of the team, Renewable Energy Department of the NNPC, Mr Danjuma Yakubu who disclosed this during a working visit to Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello said the team had carried out soil test at the proposed site for the Biofuel Refinery in Alape and decided to brief the governor on the development.
According to him, the Kogi State Government, the NNPC and private investors have also finalised agreement to establish Crop Processing Zone at Alape and Ike-Bunnu in Kabba Bunu Local Government Area of the State.
”The Crop Processing Zone will cover 20, 000 hectares of Sugarcane production in Ike-Bunnu while 15,000 hectares of land has been tested for Cassava Production in Alape”, he said.
The sugarcane and cassava will serve as feedstocks for the Biofuel Refinery.
The group said the consultants engaged by the corporation to carry out land validation in both Ike-Bunu are currently on sites and will complete their works in 8 weeks.
They also revealed that contract for the feasibility study has been awarded stating that contractors for the construction of the Refinery were also on ground, awaiting the feasibility study report to commence construction.
The team commended the Governor for his support and for providing the enabling environment for industrialisation.
Yakubu noted that the NNPC were satisfied with the necessary tests that had been carried out on the sites so far.
The Governor in his respond commended the management of NNPC for commencement of work and also taking advantage of the state’s enormous and economic resources to invest in the state.
He noted that the efforts of his administration in making the state safe for investors and citizens was already paying off.
The team was accompanied to the governor’s office by the State Commissioner of Finance and Economic Planning , Hoń Idris Asiru, Commissioner for Agriculture, Hoń David Apeh, State Accountant General, Mr Momoh Jibrin and Auditor-General of the State , Yusuf Okala.
