MURIC seeks 100% crude supply to Dangote

The Muslim Rights Concern has called on the government to ensure an adequate supply of crude oil to local refineries to encourage energy self-sustainability in Nigeria.

The group also applauded the Federal Government for suspending petrol imports into the country following what it described as a noticeable boost in local production.

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, an agency of the Federal Government, had announced the suspension of petrol imports into the country, saying the country now has enough local production.

Reacting to the development, MURIC commended the government for the decision.

In a statement on Thursday, the Executive Director of MURIC, Ishaq Akintola, said, “This is a commendable step. Local production has received additional oxygen with this new policy. It is forthright and nationalistic. But as we hail FG for widening the market for local refineries and blocking the likelihood of saturation through excessive and unnecessary inflow of petroleum products, we must at the same time remind the government to enable full and effective operation in the local refineries by supplying them with 100 per cent crude oil,” he said.

Akintola said it is wrong that the Dangote refinery is getting only 32 per cent of the crude needed to operate the 650,000-barrel facility in Lekki, Lagos, asking Tinubu to issue an executive order to that effect.

“It stands logic on its head if, in spite of decades of suffering from fuel scarcity, a refinery like Dangote emerges but still cannot get a 100 per cent crude oil supply. Reports of the supply of only 28 per cent to 32 per cent of the crude oil required by the Dangote refinery are not only disturbing but also nauseating. This is where nationalistic proclivities should come in.

“We therefore urge President Bola Tinubu to issue an executive order for the supply of 100 per cent crude oil required by local refineries,” he said.