Centre Advocates Overhaul Of Refineries

The Executive Director of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Mr. Auwal Musa has advocated the complete overhaul of the refinery system in the country in order to provide permanent solution to incessant increases in prices of petroleum products.

CISLAC is an NGO based in Nigeria that advocates for the fight against corruption and injustice.

Musa, who gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Abuja last Wednesday, said that government should make the refineries operational to proffer solutions to the problem.

“Government should fix the refinery to make it work.

“What we expected government to do is to fix the refinery and make sure that the refinery works within the maximum capacity.

“The reason for the paying much in the petroleum price is because you have to take the crude for processing and then import it back to the country.

“So, if government really wants to make Nigerians know that they are committed they should fix the refinery to make it work.”

According to him, in 2011 there was a provision for petroleum subsidy which is supposed to run till March 2012 and that government should enlighten people on how the money would be spent and the way forward.

“We want government to explain to Nigerians what they intend to do with that money.

“There is no explanation as per why before the expiration of that money government did not bring reasons why they had to remove the subsidy by January when it is supposed to last till first week of April.”

He urged government to pass the petroleum industry bill into law, adding that if that is done, it would address not only issues of pricing but restructure the oil and gas sector.