Foremost youth group within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has hailed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and major oil marketers for deciding to lift and distribute fuel from the Dangote Refinery across the country.
The group, APC Vanguard for Optimum Transparency and Accountability (APC-VOTA), also called on the group chief executive officer (GCEO) of the NNPCL, Malam Mele Kyari, to live up to his promises by making the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries operational.
In a statement yesterday morning by the president, Engr. Shola Olatunji, and secretary, Amb. Waheed Isiaka, the group expressed optimism that patronising locally refined petroleum products will stabilise the nation’s economy, as the naira will gain heavily against foreign currencies. Hence, the importation of refined products will be discouraged.
“Aside from making the products available across the country, thereby defeating the usual artificial scarcity during the yuletide, lifting from the Dangote Refinery will also strengthen our currency against foreign currencies and make our economy pick up again.
“It will also save Nigerians from buying adulterated and high sulphur density petroleum products currently being imported into the country by some unscrupulous oil marketers, under the supervision of the so-called regulators who value their pockets more than the welfare of the people.
“Above all, this will save the Nigerian government a whooping N24 trillion yearly, as it currently imports Petroleum products by paying N2tr every month.
“This is a noble decision, and all of us at APC-VOTA welcome this step wholeheartedly, as it will better the lives of Nigerians and will reduce hardship currently being faced”, the statement read.
On the need to rehabilitate the ailing local refineries, the group said it was obvious that Kyari lacks the capacity to make Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries work again.
“It’s obvious to all Nigerians that Kyari lacks what it takes to fix our refineries. Despite trillions of naira injected into the rehabilitation of Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries, there is nothing to show for it, and the man is not saying anything again after running out of excuses.
“Keeping such a man any longer is tantamount to keeping an infested ripe fruit. Since you can’t eat it, just remove it neatly. The more you leave it there, the more it infests other fruits until the whole system becomes compromised and collapses.
“The only solution to the fuel crisis in Nigeria is the sack of Kyari and our refineries working. Anything less is tantamount to prolonging our doomsday,” the group added.
Recall that the NNPCL said it has stopped importing refined petroleum products and is now off-taking fuel from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and other local refineries.
The NNPCL’s GCEO, Kyari, disclosed this on Monday at a Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists conference in Lagos.
