The Federal Government of Nigeria stated it has concluded plans to crash the price of petroleum products in the nation.
The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Ita Enang disclosed this, weekend, during an interaction with journalists in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
Enang said the FG decided to integrate local (illegal) refiners into the mainstream refining within the nation, including that that would be formalized during the National Conference on artisanal and modular refining which might come up on March 15-17, 2021 in Abuja.
He additional stated the FG had agreed to partner with those within the creeks on how to legalise their businesses.
According to him, “We have to agree with those within the creek on how to legalise their business due to the danger the current practice is posing to the environment and the economy of the nation.
“Therefore, the Federal Government will on March fifteenth- seventeenth hold a National Conference on Artisanal and Modular Refining to integrate local refiners into the mainstream refining in Nigeria. It’s more necessary to do in-nation refining to avoid certain duties and charges connected with the importation of Petroleum products.
“At the conference, persons who’ve different capacities to do different things would come, even the illegal refiners would additionally come, and teach us how they do it and if they can improve upon it by giving them the equipment that does the cracking, we’re good to go. We’re encouraged to do this because, during the Nigeria civil war that lasted for 30 months, Biafra was cut off from the entire world, they never imported petroleum products, they have been producing and refining locally and that capability is still there.
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“With this step, it would be possible to have the products at less than N100 per litre, because other charges relating to clearing the cargo wouldn’t be there.”
On the deplorable state of Calabar/ ITU high way, Enang stated he had made efforts to make sure that fund made available to contractors awarded the road reconstruction is released however blamed administrative bottlenecks and lack of commitment from governors of Akwa Ibom and Cross River, as well as 10 House of Representatives members and the three Senators from each State.
He, however, noted that Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River had at least helped within the process of implementing the contract for the reconstruction of the road.
He stated he wouldn’t permit himself to be blackmailed with the road, challenging his accusers who are additionally in government to indicate the efforts they’ve put in so far towards the completion of the road
He said, “It is not APC or PDP or the Federal Government that can use that road but Nigerians and mostly the people of Akwa Ibom and Cross River States and so I want people to ask the Federal lawmakers from each states questions why that road has remained in that deplorable state.
“I challenge all members of the House of Representatives, all senators representing Akwa Ibom and Cross River State and the Governor of Akwa Ibom State to raise their hands to God and talk about their efforts towards the state of Calabar/Itu Road.”
