Abiodun Advises FG to Deregulate Oil Sector

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has harped on the need for the deregulation of the petroleum sector to make fund available for the provision of basic amenities to the people.

Abiodun stated this on Wednesday when he received members of the Depot and Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), who paid him a courtesy visit in his Oke-Mosan office in Abeokuta, saying it was increasingly becoming difficult to provide infrastructure, hence the need to embark on deregulation.

"We can actually embark on deregulation and save about a trillion naira, and if these savings are put into road infrastructure, the citizens of Nigeria will appreciate it,” he said.

 

The governor, who noted that deplorable condition of roads is the biggest problem confronting the people, said: "In the course of my campaign, we realised that the biggest problem that our people have is the state of our intra-city and township roads. That is the biggest problem."

 "If you just fix roads in this state and do nothing else, our people will be happy because it facilitates every other thing. If people can move from point A to point B, they can transport their children to school, move their products and produce to the markets and go to work on good roads, they will be happy."

Abiodun, who said he was not impressed by the marginal drop on local consumption of petrol from 56 to 53 million litres per day due to border closure, said the drop was an indication that little has been achieved.

"NNPC showed some numbers that arose from the border closure that the consumption of fuel has dropped from 56 to 53 million litres daily. It shows that we have achieved very little. When you look at the N145 charge in Nigeria and the N320 that is charged in the neighbouring country, there is more than enough to go round to compromise everybody. So, we cannot continue to deceive ourselves. We must do something about it," he said.

The governor commended the association for its commitment to national development, calling for partnership in the area of advice to ensure that the system continues to work.

Abiodun used the opportunity to call on members of the association to invest in Ogun State, saying the state is a factor in the supply and distribution chain, as it's a host to one of the NNPC biggest depots in the country and with gas pipelines crisscrossing the the state.

Speaking earlier, the Chairman of North West Oil and leader of the team, Mrs. Winifred Akpani, called on the governor to ensure the deregulation of the oil sector, as poor people do not in reality benefit from subsidy.

Akpani, who said the association was in the state to see areas where it could partner the state government, congratulated the governor, who was the DAPPMAN chairman on his election.