The Federal Government has invited the Executive Director of Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) and National Facilitator of Project with Artisanal Crude Oil Refiners for Modular Refineries in the Niger Delta, Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface to address the 7th National Council on Hydrocarbon (NCH) on his Project with artisanal refiners, Presidential Artisanal Crude Oil Refining Development Initiative (PACORDI) and Energy Transition among others with a view of capturing the proposals in the roadmap and strategic policy option towards achieving energy transition in Nigeria.

The invitation is contained in a letter dated November 3, 2022 addressed to “The Executive Director, Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria)” and signed by the Director Planning, Research and Statistics, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Musa Sa’eed Talle for Hon. Minister of State, His Excellency, Chief Timipre Silver.

The National Council on Hydrocarbon is an extraordinary gathering of stakeholders in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector including oil companies, ministries, departments and agencies of government that are directly or indirectly affected by the policies formulated and implemented by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources as approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to annually review and formulate new policies for the smooth operations of the sector. Mr. Fyneface Dumnamene who has been at the forefront of the advocacy against pipeline vandalism, crude oil theft, artisanal refining, gas flaring, soot and associated environmental pollution has also been promoting alternative livelihood opportunities for artisanal refiners for environmental sustainability in the Niger Delta with articulated illegal refineries mitigation mechanisms that support just energy transitioning in the country.

Thus, as an organization exclusively incorporated by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to among others “campaign against oil theft, artisanal refining and pollution”, YEAC-Nigeria Executive Director’s presentation at the 7^th NCH titled “Roadmap and Strategic Policy Option towards Achieving Energy Transition in Nigeria: From Exclusion to Inclusion of Illegal Crude Oil Refining Economy in the National Transition Plan”, would centre around the nexus between the establishment of Presidential Artisanal Crude Oil Refining Development Initiative (PACORDI), Modular Refineries and Just Energy Transition in Nigeria. The presentation will further elaborate YEAC’s partnership with government agencies in the campaign against crude oil theft; environmental management, mobilization and training of some artisanal refiners across the Niger Delta on guidelines for the establishment of modular refineries; creation of database of artisanal refiners; establishment of “Modular Refinery Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd”, three each so far in Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Akwa-Ibom States as well as its 2020 proposed “Presidential Artisanal Crude Oil Refining Development Initiative (PACORDI)”, an initiative that recommends the innovation, legalization, formalization, regulation and integration of artisanal crude oil refineries into the national economy. Furthermore, his presentation will also include the YEAC-Nigeria facilitated Solar Mini-Off Grid Electricity Project in communities without electricity aimed at reducing crude oil theft, artisanal refineries, environmental pollution and contributing job creation through alternative livelihood opportunities for youths, greener and low-carbon economy that also supports the fight against climate change in the just energy transition (JET) value chain among others.

It would be recalled that earlier in March 2021 and 2022, the Federal Government responded to the YEAC-Nigeria’s proposal on PACORDI among others by organizing national summits for the integration of artisanal/modular refinery operations into the national economy and invited Mr. Fyneface Dumnamene to speak more about it by making presentations at the summits and in April 2022, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR through his Senior Special Assistant on Niger Delta Affairs sent a formal letter to Mr. Fyneface for “Partnership on Modular Refinery Operations and Environmental Management in the Niger Delta Region”.

Thus, the current invitation to Mr. Fyneface to speak at the 7th Edition of the National Council on Hydrocarbon themed “Roadmap and Strategic Policy Option Towards Achieving Energy Transition in Nigeria” and holding in Minna, Niger State from November 22-25 is a further step by the Federal Government to consider, approve, establish PACORDI and integrate into the national economy, hence, the strengthening of his invitation for him not to only participate in the general session but also make presentation at both the “technical and council meetings” as stated in the invitation letter to him.

The Executive Director of YEAC-Nigeria, Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface would be accompanied to the National Council on Hydrocarbon by some State Coordinators of Modular Refinery Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd from Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers States.

PEACE ORUWARI,

Communications Officer,

YEAC-Nigeria.

08-11-2022