By Oduche Azih
SAT 07 AUG, 2021-theGBJournal- This is a basic economic fact, not because Dr Pat Utomi said so. Hence we cannot claim to have suddenly become aware of this FACT which is (even) being vigorously disputed by the Federal Government. Hear Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Mr Timipre Silva. It has been real torture watching him straining to sell the government position that flies in the face of expert opinions and popular opposition. Note that Silva had stressed that they in government have their own dedicated (?) parade of experts. No wonder we are where we are.
Government has all the markings of Criminal Enterprise. Why would the minister embrace all the actions of the PDP administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo on the Refinery Subsector front that it had found objectionable and vigorously resisted when the APC and its legacy parties were in the opposition? . Who were those Nigerians who kicked against the privatisation of our moribund refineries? The APC was a major force here. Funny that it has not provided credible reasons today for insisting that the Buhari administration MUST first rehabilitate these refineries, (after sleeping on the job for six years), before opening up for public contribution on the debate over whether or not to privatise them. Outside of government, Nigerians are united as one in calling for immediate privatization. We have nothing new to say.
On the array of international contractors who snagged the rehabilitation contracts for the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries, it is amazing that Seun Okinbaloye and we viewers had to be briefed on this long after the bids had been evaluated, contracts awarded and initial payments advanced to the winners. This opacity is the norm for the Buhari administration.
If the government had been open on these matters, one would have expected the business press, like the Businessday, Nairametrics and GBJournal to have routinely taken them up. Our government has this tack of insisting that, “We know what we are doing.” Of course this is not true. My own personal experiences at the Port Harcourt and Warri Refineries have left a very bad taste in my mouth. None of the disastrous outcomes have come to me as a surprise.
On a closing note, I have found Minister Timipre Silva quite expressive. He has read his briefing notes well and hence does not sound like a complete misfit. Unfortunately he has been forced to deploy his power of persuasion in selling a very bad product.
Oduche Azih, Lagos
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