By Ephraim Oseji

A Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta, Chief Sunny Onuesoke has called  for the  recognition and upgrading   of   illegal refineries instead of   their destruction by security agents. Onuesoke who made the appeal    while speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt, Rivers State argued that instead of destroying the illegal refineries,  government should bring the operators of modular refineries  on board and study how their crude methods of refining the product could be improved.

He advised that the indigenous technology of refining crude oil to finished petroleum products should actually be encouraged, standardized and regulated, adding that such local technology could be a springboard to development and empowerment of the people at the same time.

Onuesoke who is an environmentalist pointed out that the destruction of the illegal refineries by security agents has caused pollution, environmental degradation and other social factors in the area adding that the legalization of modular refinery would help in the reduction of the importation of fuel increased local production, generate employment, save our foreign reserve and prevent environmental pollution.