DELTA STATE, DESOPADEC: MAJOR & MINOR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 LAGOS 000064 SIPDIS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - HANDLE ACCORDINGLY SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/W, INR/AA, DS/IP/AF, DS/ICI/PII, DS/DSS/OSAC OSLO FOR HELENA SCHRADER DOE FOR GPERSON, CAROLYN GAY TREASURY FOR ASEVERENS, SRENENDER, DFIELDS COMMERCE FOR KBURRESS STATE PASS USTR FOR ASST USTR FLISER STATE PASS TRANSPORTATION FOR MARAD STATE PASS OPIC FOR ZHAN AND MSTUCKART STATE PASS TDA FOR NCABOT STATE PASS EXIM FOR JRICHTER STATE PASS USAID FOR GWEYNAND AND SLAWAETZ E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL SENV NI SUBJECT: DELTA STATE, DESOPADEC: MAJOR & MINOR INFRASTRUCTURE PLANS AWAIT IMPLEMENTATION REF: 07 LAGOS 793 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED--HANDLE ACCORDINGLY ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Delta State's Integrated Development Project and the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) made a joint presentation to the Mission's FCS officer. DESOPADEC plans to order modular refineries and gas gathering plants to jump start the local economy and has purchased an air to water purification unit to provide potable water to riverine inhabitants. The Delta State Integrated Development Project purchased 20 General Electric turbines for electrical power generation and outlined an elaborate development program. End Summary. -------------- DESOPADEC to Buy Modular Refinery, Gas Gathering System -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Chief Wellington Okirika, Chairman of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), told Commercial Attache and Poloffs on January 28 that he had identified two U.S. companies from which to purchase modular refineries and gas gathering plants (Reftel); they are conducting due diligence on these companies. Okirika said he chose the companies because they sent representatives to Warri. Delta State has to set up its own refinery because decision makers in Abuja see the Delta as too risky and have issued refinery licenses to companies in other regions. (Note: None of the licenses issued have resulted in the development of refineries. End Note.) ¶3. (SBU) Godwin Akpobire, Head of the Delta State Integrated Development Project, estimated Delta has 896,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil reserves; most of this is shut in due to community protests in the state. Okirika said Delta's gas gathering plants would be fueled from flared gas, noting that Nigeria is second only to Russia in gas flaring, and stranded gas is currently not exploited by the oil companies. Akpobire said UK companies have come to Delta to consider how best to harness gas reserves. -------------- -------------- DESOPADEC: February Installation for Water System -------------- -------------- ¶4. (U) Okirika said DESOPADEC has purchased one reverse osmosis air to water purification unit (used in Kuwait, Dubai, and Burkina Faso) and hopes to install it near Okerenkoko, Delta State in early February. Ground water reportedly has a high salt content and requires more processing than water removed from humid air; Okirika said each purification unit produces approximately 1,600 gallons/day. DESOPADEC plans to offer free 24-hour medical care next to each purification unit; Okirika was confident these would operate unimpeded because the people would see the linkage between safe water, health care, peace and security. ¶5. (U) DESOPADEC expects to release naira 1.5 billion (approximately USD 12.7 million) to microfinance cooperatives in mid-February, Okirika said. DESOPADEC anticipates that its Waterways Monitoring Committee will begin to reduce the activities of armed youth. The militants have agreed to allow contractors to work in riverine areas, Okirika said, and as a result, Delta State has awarded 300 contracts for 2-3 bedroom houses, roads, schools, jetties, and water projects. LAGOS 00000064 002 OF 003 -------------- State Integrated Development Project: Big Plans, Little Progress -------------- ¶6. (U) Akpobire outlined for the Commercial Attache his extensive plans for a 1,058 km road network (interstate highway, intercity network, and intra-city network),a 540 km railway, and a deep sea port near Escravos. He said the state plans to construct its own market across the river from Anambra's Onitsha market. This will help extend commercial activities into Delta State. Further, Akpobire predicted a contract for an airport in Asaba, Delta's capitol city, would be awarded by early January. The airport would be international and its management privatized, he said. ¶7. (U) Akpobire said adequate power is badly needed; although the state provides 450 megawatts a day to the national grid, it receives virtually none in return. To ameliorate this, the state government purchased 20 General Electric turbines to be used for production, generation and transmission of electric power. Akpobire said he would like to provide each region of Delta State what it needs to help industries located there to survive. ¶8. (U) U.S. and Dutch companies are reportedly dredging canals in Delta to improve community access and travel time to larger cities. One overland canal was recently opened by the state in cooperation with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC),Akpobire said. Twelve dredges were purchased from the Netherlands and another 18 will have to be purchased, Akpobire estimated. It will take nine years to complete the canal system planned for the state. Opening overland canals in the state's riverine areas will take approximately nine years to plan and complete. Akpobire reasoned the canals would make the region more secure, provide employment opportunities, and allow DESOPADEC to fulfill its mandate. Some youth have already been hired to take soil and water samples where the state plans to dredge, Akpobire told Poloffs. ¶9. (SBU) Akpobire proudly told Poloffs militants have left the camps to take part in training at a newly opened dredging training center where they are being taught professional skills. He predicts 4,500 youth will be weaned from the militant life and into productive employment. He noted the importance of offering alternatives to militants and said he might consider foreign training. He said the militants suffered a "failure of hope" and need tailored training to rekindle that hope. Akpobire plans to publicize success stories in an effort to show youth how they can improve their lives by abandoning militancy. -------------- State, DESOPADEC Seek Reliable Partners -------------- ¶10. (U) Akpobire is seeking foreign partners to help build that state's financial and technical capacity. The Governor has asked DESOPADEC Chairman Okirika to conduct due process and due diligence on interested companies to verify their legitimacy and assess project sustainability and commercial viability. Okirika wants to work with U.S. companies because they are held accountable through U.S. courts. Akpobire said American citizens (Amcits) should not be afraid to visit Delta State as the area is far safer than it once was; Amcits are currently working as doctors in the creeks, as part of a DESOPADEC program that has helped 3,000 persons at eight LAGOS 00000064 003 OF 003 centers. Okirika is seeking help in accessing drugs and equipment for these clinics. ¶11. (SBU) Comment: We have heard numerous development schemes and business opportunities in the Niger Delta; some sound feasible, some are larger than life but most fail to get off the ground. Neither Delta State's nor DESOPADEC's plans for major infrastructure projects have yet reached the implementation stage. Interestingly, the project these two officials described as most advanced was the dredging project with the NDDC. End Comment. ¶12. (U) This cable was cleared by Embassy Abuja. BLAIR