By Chisaa Okoye (Business Reporter)
Constitutional lawyer Femi Falana, has condemned the false claims by some Nigeria’s oil industry officials that the Dangote Refinery is producing sub-standard petroleum products.
“The government cannot go around the world asking for foreign investment only to be accused of destroying local investment. It is very dangerous for the country”, he declared.
Head of the Nigerian oil industry regulatory agency had claimed Dangote Refinery was producing sub-standard petroleum products, but the claim has since been proven to be false.
President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has maintained that products refined at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals, the world’s largest single train refinery, are of superior quality compared to imported equivalents and meet international standards.
The richest man in Africa had shelved plans for investment in the steel sector owing to accusations of monopoly against him.
But Falana had dismissed the monopoly claim, describing it as childish.
He said: “It is so embarrassing that we are telling the whole world that the government of Nigeria is incapable of managing its affairs. That one person is monopolising trade in our country.
“What is the purpose of the government? It is to checkmate any monopolistic control of any business in Nigeria. But what do you call a monopoly?
“If you have allowed your own refineries to be destroyed, what happens? Somebody now decides to have a refinery, that’s a monopoly. There is nothing you can do about it.”
“You must now stop this childish, very puerile argument that someone wants a monopoly,” he said, calling on the government to work and fix the country’s refineries.
“It is not the business of the government? That’s why you have the Federal Consumer Protection Commission to deal with anybody who wants to maintain a monopoly in business in the country. The government must go back to the drawing table.”
He urged the Nigerian government to work with Dangote Refinery and support its operations.
“If a factory is likely to employ 500,000 people, young people, the government must try and embrace that company and see what can be done,” he said.