It’s a shame we’re still importing fuel —Gov Obaseki

The Governor of Edo state, Godwin Obaseki, has expressed disappointment in Nigeria’s continuous importation of fuel into the country, despite being the largest crude oil producer in Africa.

According to multiple reports on Monday, Obaseki said importing fuel is a shame, as the country has no reason to do so.

He stated this at the 10-year remembrance service of Chief Jeremiah Ighodalo, father of Chairman of Sterling Bank Plc, Dr. Asue Ighodalo.

“The continuous importation of fuel into the nation is a patriotic shame to Nigeria.” Obaseki said, adding that, “As one of the largest producers of crude oil in the African continent, Nigeria has no business importing fuel into the country. It’s a shame we are still importing fuel.

“As a nation, we should not be importing fuel at this point in our life. It’s a patriotic shame borrowing from the words of Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Adiche.”

His statement comes at a period the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, said over N6.7 trillion will be spent on petrol subsidy in 2023.

Read also: Gov Obaseki sacks head of Edo security outfit

Also, there’s a contention between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and the Nigeria Customs Service (NIS) over the daily importation volume.

Customs Comptroller-General, Col. Hameed Ali (retd.) had said that NNPC can’t scientifically support the 98 million litres/day it claimed to have imported in a year, and only imports 38 million litres of PMS per day.

However, the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC Limited, Garba Muhammad, defended the oil corporation’s volume record.

“The NNPC Ltd notes the average daily evacuation (Depot truck out) from January to August 2022 stands at 67million litres per day as reported by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA. Daily Evacuation (Depot loadouts) records of the NMDPRA do carry daily oscillation ranging from as low as 4 million litres to as high as 100 million litres per day.” He explained.

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