The House of Representatives has expressed deep concern over the failure of Brass refinery project in Balyesa State to take off despite the sum of $35million sunk into it.
Honourable Billy F. Osawaru, who disclosed this while presenting a motion he sponsored on Wednesday, condemned the project as a colossal economic loss and an indication of Nigeria’s poor accountability structure.
He recalled that in 2020, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) reportedly committed $35 million, approximately ₦50 billion, to Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited for the establishment of a modular refinery in Brass.
He lamented that there is nothing tangible on site to justify the investment.
According to him, the project was conceived under a Federal Government initiative to promote modular refineries across the Niger Delta region, aimed at reducing the nation’s reliance on imported petroleum products, creating employment opportunities, and boosting national income.
He said the project also expected to curb the environmental degradation associated with illegal oil refining in host communities.
He noted that the immediate past administration had championed several modular refinery initiatives through the NCDMB to strengthen local refining capacity, while the present government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda continues to prioritise energy independence, local participation, and industrial expansion.
“This $35 million investment was supposed to transform the energy landscape and empower young people in the Niger Delta. Unfortunately, four years later, there is no sign of progress or accountability,” he lamented.
He reminded the House that a previous attempt to investigate the project yielded no meaningful outcome.
He referenced a petition submitted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in May 2024, requesting a probe into the NCDMB’s multi-million-dollar investments in modular refineries, including the Brass project, which, according to him, has yet to produce any visible results.
He warned that the continued silence surrounding the matter erodes public trust in the nation’s anti-corruption efforts and raises serious questions about the management of government resources.
“The lack of transparency surrounding this project is alarming. We cannot stand idly by while projects funded with taxpayers’ money disappear without explanation,” he added.
Considering the motion, the House mandated its Committee on Midstream and Downstream Petroleum to investigate the matter and submit a comprehensive report in four weeks for further legislative action.
