Wike decries loss of revenue due to illegal refineries, pledges to redress challenge

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has decried how the country loses revenue due to the activities of illegal oil refineries which also constitute hazardous health conditions for the populace.

Wike made this assertion on Friday when he received the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, on Friday at the Government House, Port Harcourt.

The Governor said, “You and I know that one product we have today that has kept this country going is oil and gas, which I will say is the main source of our revenue in this country today.

“We must as a people, as a government, it doesn’t matter whichever faction you may be or whichever divide you may be, or you may find yourself, what is important is that you must defend our national assets,” he said.

Wike also pledged to tackle the scourge in order to ensure that governments at all levels accrue revenues due to them.

READ ALSO: Wike accuses Amaechi of secretly abandoning Rivers’ aircraft in Germany

“I will do anything within my powers to see that it is put to stop. I owe it as a duty, first by making sure that the government is not losing revenue.

“Whenever we lose national revenue, it trickles down. It affects us at the state and local government levels and that is the revenue aspect of it.

“I am willing to fight it and will continue to fight it. Some people are trying to politicise it, that I am acting against certain ethnic groups. That can’t change me, it doesn’t matter,” he stated.

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