News

We will make laws to protect local industries, says Akpabio, after tour of Dangote Refinery

Published

9 months ago

June 10, 2024

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio has assured Indigenous investors that the National Assembly will make laws to encourage investment and protect local industries.

Akpabio gave the assurance after leading the leadership of the Senate on a guided facility tour of the World largest single-train refinery, Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Fertiliser Plant in Lekki, Lagos at the weekend.

The Senate President was accompanied on the tour by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, Senate Deputy Leader, Lola Ashiru, Senate Deputy Majority Whip, Nwebonyi Onyekachi, Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro, Senate Deputy Minority Leader, Lere Oyewumi, Senate Minority Whip, Osita Ngwu and Senate Deputy Minority Whip, Rufai Hanga.

Others were Chairmam Senate Committee on Petroleum(Downstream), Ifeanyi Ubah and his Deputy Jide Ipinsagba who is also Chairman, Committe on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Tokunbo Abiru who is representing Lagos East which covers the site of the Refinery at Ibeju Lekki and Chairman, Senate Committee on NDDC, Asuquo Ekpenyong .

They were conducted round the huge industrial complex by the President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, assisted by the Group’s Vice President for Oil and Gas, Devakumar Edwin. The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu also joined them on the tour.

Speaking after the facility tour, Akpabio assured Dangote and Nigerian entrepreneurs in general that “we are going to consume what we produce.”

He said:”Don’t expect any investment from us but we will invest in our ideas, we will invest in legislations to protect this business.

“Today, we are leaving here convinced that we are going to consume what we produce. We will no longer allow people to bring in products that will give our people cancer when we have the one that is cancer free.

“We will make laws that will encourage investments and we will also make laws that will protect local industries. Nobody can fault us when we go out there and say we can no longer import what we know we can produce here. So let us consume what we produce.”

The Senate President also explained the rationale behind the facility tour of Dangote Refinery by the Senate leadership:”To be honest, it is better for you to come and see. Out there in Abuja, many of us were told that this Refinery was a farce.

“We were told that it was just another dream pipe, it was never going to work, when over 240 million people can build two refineries – one in Kaduna, one in Portharcourt, even another one in Warri and none has worked in the last 50 years.How can one human being now come and make a refinery to work in Nigeria?

“You have shamed all the critics. Now you have challenged the National Assembly now to undertake major oversight into why Ajaokuta Steel Complex is dead. You have challenged us to find out why Aluminium Smelter Company in Ikot Abasi is dead.

“You have also challenged us as Nigerians to find out why the biggest Paper company in the world at Oku- Iboku is also dead after billions of dollars has been sunk into them.

“Even with the presentation yesterday, I pitty you. You are going to have a lot of envious people around you. Even your friends will envy you because people will say why you. How can you succeed where others have failed? How can you succeed where nations have failed? How can you succeed where continents have failed?

“But you have succeeded. It is the grace of Almighty Allah that has guided you to succeed. We came because the 10th Assembly is a progressive Assembly that believes in the people of Nigeria.

“We came because we believe that we must make legislations to encourage businesses and also encourage foreign direct investment in Nigeria.

“We came, not as doubting Thomases but with a lot of hope that yes, we can use the Dangote Refinery to renew the hope of the young people in this country. For them to know that the future is brighter than what we saw in the past. We came to announce our own endorsement of this major accomplishment that you have brought to bare.”

In his remarks, Governor Sanwo-Olu was full of praises for the Senate to have considered it fit to embark on the facility tour: “Mr Senate President, my take is to thank you and your colleagues for finding time to come here to see things for yourselves.

“And because you have come, you have seen, we believe that in your leadership, you will also use the 10th Assembly to further legislate innovative ideas like this, to further put the template of Nigeria forward where businesses can thrive, policies and programmes of government that can help to create several Aliko Dangotes, that can create several businesses that will indeed leapfrog and take this government and this country forward.”

Sanwo-Olu thanked Dangote and the entire management of the Dangote Group for putting Nigeria on the world map and for putting the country in “the global scheme of can do, can dream and with all the sensibility of possibilities.”

Also speaking after taking his guests round the Refinery and Fertiliser plant, Dangote specifically urged the Federal lawmakers for legal protection of the huge investment made.

“Without the policies that were laid down by the government, there is no way Nigeria would have been self sufficient in Cement, Fertiliser and Petrochemicals.

“Nigeria has been importing refined products the last 30 years. But without the right policies, nobody will come and put a dime. So I must thank you for giving the right laws for people to come and invest.

“Despite being a private-sector project, Dangote Refinery is doing a patriotic job in ensuring that Nigeria meets its aspirations of self sufficiency in refined products. And not only in self sufficient, we will export to all our neighbours. All the West Africa and Central Africa, up to Brazil.

“Actually, we have been shipping now up to Mexico from here. Therefore I urge you to please consider this Refinery as our national asset given the envisaged long multiplier effect on the economy.

“Indigenous investment of such magnitude ought to be protected and backed by law that should prevent disruptions in its activities.

“I want to assure you, with this Refinery, we will stop all the bad Petroleum products imports not only to Nigeria but into the Continent.”

News

NSCDC, Tantita intensify joint efforts to combat oil theft in Niger Delta

Published

4 hours ago

February 23, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Tantita Security Services Limited (TSSL) have intensified their joint efforts to eliminate economic sabotage in the Niger Delta, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda set forth by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

As part of his inspection of NSCDC operations in the area, Commandant-General Dr. Abubakar Audi led a group of senior officers to meet with Chief Kestin Pondi, Managing Director of TSSL, and High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, commonly referred to as Tompolo, in Warri and Oporoza, Delta State.

Audi and his team also toured the operational facilities of NSCDC operatives working with Tantita in far-flung creeks of the Niger Delta and other formations to assess their activities and encourage the frontline security agents.

The Commandant-General while paying a courtesy visit to Pondi said his operational tour of the Niger Delta was to enable him get first hand information of his men on ground and strengthen the relationship between the corps and Tantita.

Audi said the NSCDC would celebrate the gallantry of his men on March 1st adding that the occasion would recognise fallen heroes of the corps and empower the families of deceased officers.

He said: “We place high premium on the welfare of our staff that is why every March 1st we recognise our personnel who died on active duty by assisting their families through payment of life insurance benefits and other empowerment schemes.”

In his remarks, the Managing Director, Tantita Security Services Ltd, Mr Kestin Pondi, heaped praises on President Ahmed Tinubu for providing the enabling environment to fight oil theft in the Niger Delta region.

He assured of closer collaboration with security forces including the NSCDC in the ongoing efforts to tackle pipeline vandalism and oil theft.

Pondi said without the collaborative efforts of the NSCDC and other security agencies, the success record would have been impossible.

He said prior to Tantita’s involvement in combating oil theft, production levels hovered around 800,000 barrels per day, adding that the increased production was because of the collaboration with NSCDC.

He said: “The success recorded in the recent past is not without the collaborative efforts of NSCDC. At the moment we have over 450 personnel in our organisation who have been providing collaborative services to our personnel.

“It is worthy of note that as at the time we came on board, the nation was producing between 600000 – 800000 barrels per day in 2022, but as at today we have gone over 2 million barrels per day and this is largely due to our collaboration with you.

A former President, Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, Engr. Udengs Eradiri, hailed NSCDC and Tantita for their mutual relationship saying their operational style was in line with President Tinubu’s leadership approach of community and stakeholders’ engagements.

Describing President Tinubu as a community man, Eradiri said Tinubu’s approach was centered around the people adding that in similar way Tantita and NSCDC approach instilled confidence in people to protect oil facilities within their domain.

“This is in line with President Tinubu’s leadership style. President Tinubu is a community man. His approach has always been about the people. For some of us who have known him for years ago, we are not surprised that he is doing things differently.

“Recall that when he was campaigning he came to the Gbaramatu Kingdom. President Tinubu expanded the relationship with Tantita and consolidated on what he met and that is why the trajectory has been smooth. President Tinubu is the reason Tantita is succeeding and we want to commend him for believing in Tompolo and the people,” he said.

News

Imo govt warns nightclub, lounge proprietors against selling hard drugs to customers

Published

5 hours ago

February 23, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Imo Government has issued a stern warning to hotel owners and nightclub operators, urging them to refrain from permitting the use of hard drugs within their establishments.

This announcement was made in a statement signed by Chief Ezechukwu Obonna, the Special Adviser to Governor Hope Uzodinma on Narcotics and Illicit Drugs Monitoring, and was shared with journalists in Owerri on Saturday.

According to Obonna, the state government has observed that hard drugs, especially cannabis, popularly called ‘loud’, are now being freely sold and consumed in public places, especially in lounges and nightclubs in the state, as if the drug is no longer prohibited by law.

He warned operators of nightclubs and lounges to immediately put an end to the consumption and sale of hard drugs, particularly in their business areas.

He said that any establishment found to be enabling or permitting the use of hard drugs would face severe consequences.

“The government is issuing this stern warning to lounge and nightclub owners across the state to note that the government will no longer tolerate the use of private businesses as havens for illicit drug use.

“We urge all lounge and nightclub owners to take responsibility for ensuring their patrons are not engaging in illicit activities.

“The Imo State Government is committed to protecting the health and well-being of its citizens, and we will not hesitate to take action against those who compromise this effort,” he said.

He added that the International Narcotics Control Board had expressed concerns about the growing trend of drug use and its impact on public health.

According to him, the Imo Government is taking proactive steps to address this issue and ensure a safer, healthier environment for all citizens.

“We appeal to all lounge and nightclub owners to cooperate with the government in this effort and to report any suspicious activities to the authorities immediately. Together, we can create a safer, more responsible tourism and entertainment industry in Imo,” he said.