Former Governor of Benue State, Senator Gabriel Suswam on Friday commissioned the multi Billion Naira St Gabriel Cuoconut Oil Refinery located in Mpkat Enin Local Council of Akwa Ibom.
With a capacity to crack one million coconuts in a day, the refinery is reputed to be the most sophiscated and the biggest in Africa.
At the occasion, Suswam commended Governor Udom Emmanuel for his industrial revolution in Akwa Ibom and advised him to replicate his leadership style and strides across Nigeria when he becomes President.
The former Governor, who is also Chairman of the Udom Emmanuel Campaign Council for President 2023 maintained that Emmanuel has not made the state a destination point but has also turned the area from a pariah state into a viable one.
While noting that the federal allocation was no longer enough to guarantee a prosperous state, he applauded Emmanuel for venturing into an area as unique as coconut oil refining to boost the state’s economy.
“The resources shared in Abuja is not enough. You came, saw Akwa Ibom in a state of despair and left Akwa Ibom a prosperous state. What you have done in Akwa Ibom has not been done in Nigeria. You are commissioning Akwa Ibom on a global stage. Replicate this in Nigeria when you become President.” He said.
Governor Emmanuel in a remark said the project came through his desire to open more widows for foreign direct investments adding that dwindling crude oil fortunes moved him to explore other economic possibilities.
Emmanuel said coconut oil has become a major economic driver in the international market and pledged to ensure that additional one million coconut stands would be added to the existing one million before he would leave office next year.
He announced plans to commence an immediate training of indigenous hands to man the refinery, said the facility has a daily capacity to crack 1,000,000 coconuts and would employ no fewer than 3,000 direct and indirect staff.
“St. Gabriel Coconut Oil Refinery is first of this magnitude and level of seriousness in Africa. Gabriel means God is my strength. we banish barrenness of our productivity, economy, etc. when nobody is bringing money to Nigeria, Akwa Ibom is attracting foreign direct investment.
“Coconut oil goes for 1326 dollars per barrel. The demand for crude would not be as it used to be, but as a visionary leader, we are prepared for the future even if you take away the crude oil. What we are doing is to turn what God has given into money. When i saw coconut everywhere, i thought of turning it to money. It has 365 uses.
“The factory is modern, smart and adaptive to also process palm kernel oil. if we can do this at the sub-national level when we don’t control the policy, only God knows what we would do when we can control the policy.” The governor explained.
Flagged off on May 24, 2017, St. Gabriel Coconut Oil Refinery Project, a major industrial investment by Akwa Ibom State Government under a Public Private Sector collaboration commenced with the cultivation of two -million stands of hybrid coconut seedlings on an 11- hectare expanse of land.
The refinery comprise of a factory complex complete with administrative offices, production areas, technical spaces, industrial firefighting systems.
Other facilities within the complex include water treatment plants, effluent treatment plants and residential quarters for technical and managerial staff as well as parking areas for several raw materials bearing vehicles.
