Dangote Refinery A Blessing on all Sides – AASU Counters HURIWA
The All-Africa Students’ Union (AASU) has described, for the umpteenth time – the just commissioned Dangote Refineries & Petrochemicals Complex as “a blessing on all sides” to Nigeria and Africa.
This was said by the union in firm disagreement with a controversial stance posited by of one civil society groups, Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA), which was “making a futile attempt at pointing out a nexus between the commissioning of the Dangote Refinery in Lagos and subsequent removal of subsidy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
AASU, in a statement issued yesterday by its President, Comrade Osisiogu Osikenyi, observed with chagrin that “in a country where it is visible to the blind and audible to the deaf that perpetuation of the subsidy regime was detrimental to our collective wellbeing as a nation; persons of such high standing could denigrate the efficacy of the positive impact of Dangote Refinery Complex as huge pull of capital into the economy with significant multiplier effects.”
The African students added that “No doubt, this Project is “major signature to Nigeria’s Quest for Industrialization and Self-reliance” with the capacity to produce 650,000 barrels of crude a day, and meet Nigeria’s local consumption needs has strategically positioned Nigeria’s oil and gas market for the global business opportunities.
“The reversal of over $12 billion spent annually on importation would be saved and have a significant effect on our exchange rate.
“The Refinery will save us from the export of jobs and pressure on our scarce foreign exchange while creating thousands of direct and indirect jobs, viz Nigeria would be saving $26 billion annually from petrochemical plants and fertilizer importation.
“Nigeria will stop importing diesel, petroleum products, fertilizer and petrochemicals. That is saving over $26 billion in foreign exchange.”
“AASU urges the Mr. Emmanuel Onwubiko led Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), to channel her patriotic energy towards “naming and shaming” the petroleum subsidy scam; probe the failure of Nigeria owned Refineries; and let Dangote Refinery be!”, the statement concluded.
The refinery was recently commissioned by immediate past President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) before leaving office.
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