PWDs seek support for Dangote Refinery, cite economic benefits

People with disabilities (PWDs) have called on the Federal Government to resolve the face-off between the major oil stakeholders in the country and the Dangote Groups over the furore being generated over Dangote Refinery saying the end results will be to Nigeria’s advantage.

The President, Network of Women with Disabilities (NWD), Lois Auta, in an interview with Nigerian Tribune on Wednesday in Abuja, said Aliko Dangote, as Nigerian citizen, deserves to be supported in his bid to make Nigeria a destination for global investment through his refinery.

She said the refinery, if allowed to operate, will boost Nigeria’s economy through import and export, create job opportunities and will increase the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). She said trying to discourage Dangote will amount to driving local investors and foreign investors away from Nigeria to other countries.

Auta, who is also the Founder/CEO, Cedar Seed Foundation, however, added that the Dangote Refinery through its Corporate Social Responsibility will provide job opportunities and economic empowerment for PWDs through good healthcare, smooth transportation system, entrepreneurial skills and scholarships.

“We should learn to support our own. Dangote has made Nigeria proud in many instances, in many perspectives, in different sectors in this country. There’s nobody that has not been inspired by Dangote. Is it Dangote cement, is it Dangote salt, is it Dangote sugar? We are benefitting from the Dangote products in our daily lives. He’s a citizen of Nigeria so we should learn to encourage Nigerians when it comes to entrepreneurship and economy and investment opportunities. This refinery will bring a lot of foreign investments, and foreign donors into the country.

“But if we try to discourage Dangote from making this refinery work in Nigeria, that means we are discouraging foreign investors from coming to the country. To me, the claims by the NNPC that he has a substandard quality of diesel and other products by his refinery is not true. They don’t just want Dangote to have this refinery in Nigeria and the statement that he wants monopoly is also not true and this surely is creating bad waves for Nigeria globally. The statement should be retrieved and they should apologise to Dangote.

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“To manufacture products in Nigeria is extremely expensive and risky. It’s dangerous to invest in Nigeria. So seeing Dangote making that effort to invest in a refinery in Nigeria should be encouraged. We should be supportive and be proud of him and not the other way round. Federal Government should stop discouraging Dangote on this refinery issue. They should resolve the matter amicably, they should have a dialogue by involving all the enablers, the gatekeepers on this to make sure it (refinery) has come to stay.

“When we have this refinery, it’ll create job opportunities, it will increase Nigeria’s GDP, fuel scarcity will reduce and many people will be able to access fuel just like former President Olusegun Obasanjo deregulated the telecommunications sector. We need to encourage private investors and deregulate the oil sector completely which is what Dangote is doing.

“It is self-defeating and very bad for Nigeria’s image globally. It’s sad that this is happening and it’s saddening. Rather, the Federal Government and all the regulatory agencies should team up and design the way forward to resolve this impasse,” Auta exclusively told Nigerian Tribune.

On how the Refinery will have impact on the lives of people with disabilities, Auta said, “The Refinery will satisfy the needs of every Nigerian, especially the masses, fuel cost will reduce and the burden of financial stress will abate. Because Aliko Dangote has been supporting people with disabilities (PWDs) there will be economic empowerment and investment in their lives. There will be opportunities for skill acquisition and starter packs for PWDs without formal education.

“The educated ones will be gainfully employed in the (Dangote) Refinery and other opportunities will directly or indirectly come their way. The PWDs will also benefit through agricultural and entrepreneurial activities. The Refinery will not only boost Nigeria’s economy through import and export but will improve the standard of living of the PWDs through jobs. I know Dangote to be a great philanthropist and I’m a beneficiary. I’m a Dangote Fellow and I’ve benefited in many ways. The PWDs will also benefit through access to good health and transportation system, scholarships through the Refinery’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).”

She also urged the government to tackle the current hardship in the land by encouraging entrepreneurial activities through grants to small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) and giving loans at one-digit interest rate to business owners. She called on the government to set up a task force as witnessed during the Covid-19 era by inviting the private sector and rich individuals to support the vulnerable in society.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE