The Abia State government has said it will commence the construction of a 10,000 capacity modular refinery this month at its flagship Abia Industrial Innovation Park (AIIP) project site, Ukwa West Local Government area of the state.

The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, in an interview with reporters, disclosed that the refinery, operated by HSI, with a processing capacity of 10,000 barrels per day, would drive industrialization and job creation in the State.

According to him, bush clearing and site preparation activities were ongoing around the modular refinery site, and full construction is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2025.

“The State Government is making steady progress on the AIIP project, and to this effect, the payment of compensation to all affected landowners has been completed.

“Bush clearing and aid works around the project site have commenced, especially around the modular refinery site.

“Construction for the Modular Refinery will commence fully during the second quarter of the year, and that’s this month of May.

“This, of course, is as a result of the approval granted to HSI to operate the 10,000 barracks per day capacity modular refinery at that AIIP site,” he stated.