By Aliu Mohammed Olurotimi

I had to pinch myself this morning. Nigeria is experiencing a terrible fuel scarcity in 2022? How did we get here? An oil-producing country without functional refineries.

This is an abomination in a clime where all oil-producing countries have shifted from the ownership of gigantic and expensive refineries to functional and manageable modular refineries built across their countries.

Is it not sad and embarrassing that as the giant of Africa, we still rely on imported petroleum products? Why is it difficult for the government to allow private ownership of modular refineries?

I have been told many times that licences have been approved for modular refineries. If yes, when are they coming on stream?

I have been told of the near completion of the Dangote 650,000 barrels per day refinery in Lagos and it seems as if that is the only and last hope of the government for a solution to the importation of petroleum products as of today.

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But my fear is that Dangote Refineries may not be a complete solution. I am waiting to be proved wrong. For now, Government must bring succour to Nigerians who are paying through their noses for scarce petroleum products for over three weeks now.

Worse still is the fact that Nigeria still doesn’t have a regular power supply after years of the so-called privatisation of the power sector and today the only alternative means of individual generation of power, petrol and diesel is not easily available despite promises by many government officials to ensure that the fuel crisis is resolved as soon as possible.

Government should wake up to its responsibilities and stop inflicting unnecessary punishment on the people.

Aliu Mohammed Olurotimi is a former Editor of Daily Times and Concord newspapers, writes from Lagos.

Vanguard News Nigeria