By Agnes Afolabi
A Constitutional Lawyer, Mr Jide Ologun, has urged President Bola Tinubu to prioritise rehabilitation of all moribund refineries in the country.
Ologun, who is a Social Commentator, gave the advice in an interview with the pinpointnews in Lagos.
Tinubu had affirmed during his inauguration on May 29 that his administration would not continue to pay subsidy on petroleum products, which had further resulted to the pump price increase from N184 to N568.
The president said the elites, who grow rich from the subsidy regime, predictably, will fight back through every means, when his administration starts to take steps on the subsidy issues.
Ologun said that revamping the refineries would go a long way to stop importation of petroleum products, which had enriched few people in the country.
The public analyst, urged the present administration to find a lasting solution to the fixing of all refineries so it could further boost the country foreign reserves.
He described the removal of subsidy by the President as apt, saying it was like a hernia eating deep into human body, while medical intervention via surgical operation brings excruciating pain to the patient.
He said: “Overtime, fuel subsidy has been identified as an indispensable conduit pipe and albatross to our developments in infrastructure and job creation in Nigeria.
“So, fuel subsidy is the necessary evil that ought to have been done away with, for any government wishing to succeed and to operate well.
“Hence, fixing the local refineries will save trillions of naira from the importation of petroleum products into the country, thereby reducing the pump price of these products.
Ologun said the president claimed in his broadcast that some elites and cabals have been impoverishing the nation and enriching themselves to antagonise the developmental efforts in the country.
The social commentator, however, advised the president not to allow the oil cabals to go scot free, doing so, they would devise other means of frustrating any efforts and development.
Ologun added that this was because the oil cabals were allegedly not for the development of this country, but set out to impoverish the people.
He asked: “Who are those behind oil theft? Who are those behind collecting money without reviving our refineries? Who are those behind smuggling of oil products?
“These are the personalities that have decided to enslave Nigerians as long as they are free out there, they will devise several other means to frustrate the government, despite its good intentions.
“Also by the elasticity concept, we should not forget that these cabals have personalities and representatives in the Ministries, Department and Agencies in the country.
“So, if the President as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces decided to deal with the cabals, then they will know that its not business as usual and by that, he would have set a precedent in the country.
“However, Section 15 Subsection 5 of the Nigeria Constitution as amended has given the President absolute mandate that the states shall abolish corrupt practices and abuse of power.”
Ologun applauded the President for raising up to the occasion to address the nation of the state of the economy and other challenges.
The social commentator urged the President to come up with a wise approach in managing the resources of the nation to regenerate the commonwealth to common goods.
He prayed for divine wisdom to scale through and repositioned the country on the paths of progress and prosperity.
