*The Peoples Movement for a New Nigeria tells the Federal Government to聽 immediately plan measures to legalise, standardise, regulate and monitor all ‘so-called’ illegal refineries to make petroleum products available, affordable for Nigerians consumers

Alexander Davis | 绿帽献妻

As fuel scarcity with attendant price hikes continue to feature in economic activities and social discourse across the country, Alhaji Yahaya Ndu, President of Peoples Movement for a New Nigeria, at the weekend urged the Federal Government to legalise the operations of the several so-called “illegal crude oil refineries” in order to make petroleum products available and affordable for Nigerians consumers.

Alhaji Ndu in a statement disclosed the call has become imperative in view of challenges Nigerians faced because of perennial fuel scarcity, which again, has lingered for several weeks, leaving thousands of commuters stranded across the country.

Ndu, who doubles as the Director, Institute for African Renaissance Studies and Realisation at Gregory University, Uturu, in Abia State, lamented the enormous amount of money which the Nigerian authorities spend on petroleum subsidies.

Several years of government neglect and unemployment in the Niger Delta region coupled with other factors had given rise to a widespread industry of illegally refining stolen with many attendant risks.

Ndu also stated: 鈥淚 call on the Government of Nigeria to get realistic and immediately put all necessary machinery in motion to legalise, standardise, regulate and monitor all so-called illegal refineries in the country, a great majority of which are in the Niger Delta.

鈥淲e have been told that petroleum subsidy grew by 349.42 percent in three years.

“From N350 billion in 2019 to N1.573 trillion in 2021.”

He further said: “The cost of subsidising the product in 2022 was N450 billion.

鈥淥n April 24, 2022, for example, an explosion in one of these refineries killed over 100 people.

“In October 2021, a previous explosion killed 25, not to mention the fact that illegal oil refineries discharge residue from the boiling crude into rivers, polluting wildlife habitats and the water cycle, etc.”

He stated: 鈥淚f the illegal refineries are legalised, standardised and monitored, it could be a win-win situation for all.

鈥淗ow can we be destroying locally built mini refineries that could if encouraged, contribute to ameliorating the scarcity of petroleum products and creating gainful employment for our people while at the same time spending trillions subsidising refined petroleum products from abroad. Does it make sense?鈥�