By Emma Amaize
WARRI—PIONEER chairman of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Warri, Delta State, Chief Wellington Okirika, has said the deregulation of the petroleum industry by the Federal Government will ease the establishment of modular and big refineries by genuine investors for both local petrol consumption and export.

Chief Okirikia, who applauded President Jonathan for the effort, said as a former chairman of DESOPADEC, he facilitated the visit of investors from United States, Canada, Germany and China to Nigeria to establish modular refineries, but they were scared away by the price control regime, after feasibility studies and business plans were prepared.

He said: “The oil producing communities in Nigeria commended the President’s bold step in deregulating the petroleum industry, as this will encourage the establishment of modular refineries for local petrol consumption and big refineries to refine petrol products for export.

“No investor will invest in an environment where the forces of supply and demand are not allowed to play.”