A coalition of Youth groups in the 19 northern states, Arewa Youth Ambassadors (AYA), called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration not to sell crude oil to Dangote Petroleum Refinery (DPR), in dollars but naira.
They also ask President Tinubu to continue working with the private refinery owners, particularly DPR and provide them with crude oil at a cheaper price, so that the refined products from the refineries will reduce the cost of transportation and make prices of foodstuff affordable and sustainable in the country.
The Secretary-general of AYA, Muktar Abdurrahman Auwal, who stated this in Abuja, at the press briefing, weighed in on the supply of crude oil to Dangote Petroleum Refinery (DPR).
Auwal said: “Selling crude oil to DPR in foreign currency is going to be counterproductive as far as the Nigerian masses are concerned. The vulnerability of the Naira due to foreign exchange has caused untold hardship to the majority of Nigerians.
“Inflation has remained high largely due to higher cost of fuel. Thus, the price of goods and services today has prevented the common man from enjoying the dividend of democracy in Nigeria. The Nigerian government therefore must take an extraordinary measure to stabilize the economy and make life easy for the millions of Nigerians who are poor and vulnerable.
“Making fossil fuel available in Nigeria using the 650,000 barrel per day production capacity of the DPR is not enough to bring down the cost of food and other essential commodities for the survival of Nigerians. However, lower petroleum products cost will surely bring back smiles and happiness to hundred million Nigerians.”
He further commended Aliko Dangote for his business acumen and commitment to solving the near-impossible problem of fuel scarcity in Nigeria.
