As the rift in Nigeria’s downstream oil and gas sector continues to intensify, two prominent Nigerian civil society organizations (CSOs); Rising-Up for a United Nigeria (RUN) and Citizens Awareness Against Corruption and Social Vices Initiative (CAACASVI) have called on Nigerians to rally behind Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited to defeat the forces of darkness.
Nigeria, a major global oil producer was, for decades heavily depended on imported refined petroleum products while exporting crude oil. With the coming of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals Company Limited, Nigeria’s fortunes changed but without serious in-fighting.
In a joint press statement signed by Comrade Ogwuche O. Jonathan and Hauwa Umar; Secretary General of RUN and Deputy coordinator of
CAACASVI respectively, a copy of which was sighted by our correspondent, the groups insisted that the era of dubious enrichment in the oil and gas sector at the expense of vulnerable Nigerians is over.
The release read in part, “since the coming on board of the Dangote Refineries and Petrochemical Limited with full operations in 2024, different, diverse and entrenched economic forces of darkness have not rested. They have devised various schemes to sabotage the refineries, including collusion with regulatory agencies at some points to frustrate the game-changing investment.
“We are not surprised that those forces, which are manifesting today, primarily as Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) and their pretentious associate and tool, Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) have to fight for survival. It is a natural thing to do since the Dangote Refineries have clearly destroyed their exploitative business interest.
“Who is better, between Dangote Refineries which has made Nigeria an exporter of refined petroleum products, providing lasting jobs in hundreds of thousands, increasing government revenue and bringing down prices of petroleum products or a cabal who profiteered and plundered the country at the expense of its hapless citizens through phoney oil importation and subsidy claims?
“Would Nigerians rather trust a company which has consistently brought down prices of products and eliminated scarcity which were most times artificial? Or would they listen to their former slave masters and mistresses simply because they now claim to be fighting an imaginary monopoly that does not exist in the first place?
The groups submitted that, competition is unhealthy for any sector of the economy but insisted that, instead of hiding under the cloak of fighting monopoly, those behind the attacks should channel their resources and energy into building refineries either as individuals or in partnership with others, rather than attacking the only one that is currently running in the country.
“Of course Nigerians do not want any monopoly, because it could become exploitative. But if DAPPMAN and their members were patriotic, they would have individually or as a group built refineries, even if they were modular ones. Dangote Refinery has nothing to do with the failure of NNPLC to run our refineries. The issue of monopoly is therefore, does not arise”, the release stated.
The groups praised Dangote as a man of integrity whose business transactions are transparent and devoid of any mischief, compared to those scheming to discredit him and $20 billion investment he has established in Nigeria with manifold benefits.
“The people fighting Dangote and not different from the people who have consistently tried to blame every problem of Ngeria on petroleum subsidy removal. The claim by DAPPMAN that Dangote Refineries sell products cheaper to other countries has been confirmed to be a blatant lie. On the the contrary, it is DAPPMAN that wanted to impose a 70 naira per litre, a decision that was rejected by Dangote Refinery.
“DAPPMAN is at liberty to continue it’s importation, but resorting to blackmailing Dangote Refineries for crashing prices to lessen the burden of Nigerians is unacceptable. Fair competition eschews sabotage and blackmail”, the release added.
While advising DAPPMAN to cooperate with Dangote Refineries pending when they’ll build their refineries, the group called for an “outpouring of support for Dangote Refineries across different strata of society”, even as they encouraged on its management to remain calm, undeterred and focused”
