- Halimah Olamide
Amidst growing concerns over the fate of the newly established Dangote Refinery, Mr. Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the last election, has said the multi-billion Dollar project deserves support from Nigeria and not frustration.
Obi said a Nigerian company that has the potential to generate approximately $21 billion in annual revenue and create over 100,000 jobs, with numerous additional positive impacts on the economy.
In a series of tweet on Tuesday, Obi said the “Federal Government and its agencies need to recognize the significance of Dangote’s contributions.”
He argued that Alhaji Dangote is not just a businessman saying “he is a national and African brand symbolizing patriotism, commitment, and impactful entrepreneurship.”
“Despite operating in a challenging business environment, he has established a remarkable industrial hub in Nigeria, encompassing over 15 sectors, including cement, sugar, salt, fertilizer, infrastructure, tomatoes, automotive, energy, petrochemicals, rice, poly sacks, real estate, mining, logistics, and maritime.
“Alhaji Dangote’s unwavering dedication to Nigeria’s industrialization, job creation, and economic growth, despite adversities, warrants full support and protection. With economic indicators like unemployment, inflation, forex scarcity, and debt worsening, every sensible and patriotic government should regard enterprises like Dangote Industries as national treasures, meriting robust support and protection.”
Saying that the success of the refinery is linked to Nigeria’s succcess, Obi said that the failure of the company would automatically translate into serious economic crisis for Nigeria.
“In the interest of Nigeria and its citizens, as well as Africans at large, I urge the Federal Government and its agencies to provide Dangote Industries, especially the refinery, with all necessary support.
“The success of Dangote is intrinsically linked to the success of Nigeria and Africa; conversely, its failure would be a significant setback for both Nigeria and the continent. ”
NPO Reports that the last few days have witnessed series of allegations and counter-allegations between the the Dangote Group and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority