From Msurshima Andrew, Makurdi
The Executive Council and Members of the West African Students’ Union (WASU), has called for a nationwide backing of the Dangote refinery to eliminate reliance on imported refined products.
WASU led by Comrade Pillah Romans, made this call in a press statement made available to newsmen in Makurdi on Sunday saying Dangote Refinery should not be demoed access to local crude to enable him bridge the gap between oil refining and importation in the country.
The Students’ Union while commending Alhaji Aliko Dangote for his visionary establishment of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, described it as a groundbreaking development that will transform the petroleum industry in Africa and across the globe.
The students, who noted that Dangote Petroleum Refinery is a groundbreaking investment that will meet 100 percent of the country’s refined products needs and have a surplus for export,said there was need to support it to source crude locally.
The regional student body, while further commending Dangote Company for venturing into such an ambitious project, said the project would fulfill the dreams of the founding fathers in the West African Students’ Union who advocated for the development of the sub-region especially in the area of economic growth, job creation, industrialization, and prosperity.
The union lamented that over the years, Nigeria has suffered a crisis in the petroleum industry depending on imports for its refined petroleum needs, occasioned among other things by a breakdown of the refining sector despite being a large holder of crude oil.
“This has led to significant disruptions in the supply chain, scarcity, and loss of precious income. Today, the country is indeed rising from slumber to take its rightful place in the West Africa sub-region.
“The value chain in this gigantic Refinery is a long stretch that has hundreds of thousands as beneficiaries in both direct and indirect job creation. We hope that the beginning of operations would also reduce the high price of petroleum products in the country and elsewhere.”
WASU also called on President Bola Tinubu to direct Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to desist from frustrating the efforts of the Dangote Refinery in pursuance to getting crude oil internally for smooth production of oil and gas within the country.
They appealed to the president to ensure that the company gets crusade oil internally as this will alleviate the burden and hardship faced by the average Nigerians.
WASU who emphasized the need for Nigeria to refine its crude locally, stated that during a visit to the Dangote refinery in Ibeju Lekki, it was did overed that it has a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day.
“We therefore unequivocally call for the immediate sack of Farouk Ahmed. It is now clear that he as the CEO of NMDPRA is responsible for issuing import licenses to his cronies outside the government to continue to import Sub-standards Refined Petroleum Products into the country.”
They appreciated the 10th National Assembly, good-spirited individuals and associations who have been rallying support for Aliko Dangote saying WASU has come to drum up supports for Dangote refinery.
While also commending the Vice President of Gas and Oil at Dangote Industries Limited, Dr. Devakumar Edwin, for his commitment to sourcing and refining local crudes for Nigeria’s benefit, WASU warned that if the denial continues, they will not hesitate to publicly name and protest against the identified cabals sabotaging the nation’s efforts self-sufficiency in refined products.
