Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State says the government of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari expended more than the $19 billion used in building the Dangote Refinery on the maintenance of the country’s refineries.
At different points within his 8 years in power, the Buhari administration awarded contracts for the repair of refineries in Kaduna, Port Harcourt, and Warri but none is functioning up till date.
However, with $19 billion, Dangote built Africa’s largest petrochemical refinery and the world’s largest single-train petroleum refining facility.
Speaking when he featured on Channels Television Sunrise Daily, the governor said the Dangote Refinery would be a game changer in the sector.
“Look at how much the President Buhari administration spent on fixing the refineries. In the eight years, he spent more money than the $19 billion that Dangote spent in building a refinery. That is one and half times the size of our three refineries combined.
“Our three refineries in Nigeria today have a total of 450,000 barrels per day, Dangote is 650,000. He spent $19 billion on building it. We spent, not building a new one, but in maintaining these refineries more than $19 billion in eight years, yet they have not been maintained.”
He also commented on the issue of subsidy payments, which is generating crisis at the moment.
The governor blamed the rise in payment of subsidy on Nigeria’s non-functional refineries.