Anambra now an oil producing state

President Jonathan has formally designated Anambra State of Nigeria as an oil producing state.  This announcement was made by the President at the commissioning of Orient Petroleum’s Anambra River Production Facility in Aguleri-Otu. The state joins other oil producing states in Nigeria such as Rivers and Bayelsa State among others.
At the commissioning, the President remarked:

President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Emeka Anyaoku and Governor Peter Obi at the Commissioning

“History is not just being made in Anambra State, but in the whole country. Orient has made a mark by partnering the government to come out with this revolution. This will give investors, both within and outside our country, the confidence to invest in our sedimentary basins.
“As a nation, we should not continue to think that we will be exporting crude materials. Our farm produce, we want to send them abroad in crude form; our crude oil, we send abroad. The people who add value to these products make more money than we do.”
He stated further: “Those in the oil industry should not be thinking only about how to export crude oil; they should add value to the crude oil. Why can’t we export petroleum products to every part of the world? Why should we import petrol, kerosene, diesel and aviation kerosene or jet fuel when we are supposed to add value to our crude oil and export the refined products to make more money?”
Chief Emeka Anyaoku who serves as Chairman of Orient Petroleum said at the commissioning it is no longer acceptable for Nigeria, which is one of the largest producers of crude oil in the world, to remain one of the biggest importers of refined products.