Bubaraye Dakolo, chairman of the Bayelsa state traditional rulers council, has declared support for the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, saying local refining is the only sustainable way for Nigeria to benefit from its oil and gas resources.
In a statement on Friday, Dakolo said the Niger Delta feels a sense of fulfilment that the refinery has made domestic processing of crude oil possible after decades of reliance on imports.
He said the Niger Delta and Nigeria in general benefit and profit more when the country’s oil and gas are locally refined and globally marketed.
“We in the Niger Delta have a sense of fulfilment that, after years of not making the best of our natural resources, God has raised a man like Alhaji Aliko Dangote and the Dangote Refinery to end distortions in the downstream industry by making local refining of our resources a possibility,” he said.
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He dismissed claims that the refinery is a monopoly, arguing that the industry is open to any investor willing to commit long-term capital.
“It is preposterous for any organisation or individual to accuse Alhaji Dangote or the Dangote Refinery of being a monopoly,” Dakolo said.
“Anybody or a group of persons can enter it. But because it takes time to recoup capital, unpatriotic Nigerians prefer the easy money of importing refined products rather than investing in local refining.”
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Dakolo also commended the company’s decision to import compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered vehicles to support the distribution of refined products nationwide, calling it “a very welcome development that should not be frustrated by selfish interests”.
According to the monarch, “no individual or corporation has been as responsible for stabilising petrol prices as Alhaji Dangote and the Dangote Refinery in the last year”.
“No individual or corporation has been as responsible for driving petrol prices down as Alhaji Aliko Dangote and the Dangote Refinery in the last year. In doing that, they have caused succour to occur in society,” he said.
“As such, the Niger Delta gives him the right hand of fellowship, even as we appeal to groups and individuals not to sabotage this lofty idea.”
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Dakolo urged Nigerians to “unionise against the cabals” who benefit from continued dependence on fuel imports rather than support efforts in local manufacturing.
