Senator Ede Dafinone has vowed to continue efforts to retain the proposed ₦100 billion Industrial Gas Park at Eku-Sanubi in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, saying he will exhaust all options to resolve the technical challenges delaying the project.
Dafinone, who represents Delta Central Senatorial District, said the project was brought to Urhobo land by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) as part of efforts to promote industrial development and economic growth in the region.
Speaking during an interview with Kpoko FM, the senator said he had no intention of allowing the project to be moved away from Urhobo land without first exploring every possible solution to the challenges at the proposed site.
«“I have no intention of moving an Urhobo project to another part of the country,” Dafinone said.»
He noted that the government had already acquired and cleared the land at Sanubi-Orogun, arguing that efforts should therefore continue towards overcoming the obstacles preventing the project from taking off.
“The government has already acquired and cleared the land, so I am continuing to lobby for the project to move forward,” he said.
Dafinone also disclosed that he had previously raised concerns over the slow progress of the project with the NCDMB while serving as Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Content.
According to him, several other projects approved around the same period have progressed significantly, while the Sanubi project remains largely at the land-clearing stage.
“Other projects that were approved around the same period are already approaching completion, while ours is still largely at the land-clearing stage,” he said.
The senator stressed that the significance of the proposed gas park goes beyond the location of the facility, saying the investment should translate into tangible economic benefits for residents of Delta Central.
He said the project was expected to create jobs, stimulate businesses and generate broader economic activity in the region.
“The objective is not simply to have a project for the sake of having one. We want an industrial project that will create employment, stimulate businesses and contribute to the development of the region,” Dafinone said.
However, he acknowledged that the project could be considered for another location within Delta Central if the technical requirements at Sanubi-Orogun ultimately prove impossible to meet.
He mentioned Sapele, Okwagbe and Oghara as possible alternatives, while stressing that relocation would only be considered as a contingency and not as his preferred option.
For now, Dafinone said his priority remains securing the retention of the proposed ₦100 billion Industrial Gas Park at Sanubi-Orogun and finding solutions to the technical and logistical challenges that have stalled its development.
