DANGOTE REFINERY: Ramalan, Ex-NIMASA Chairman, urges President Tinubu to address Regulatory Hurdles

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Dr Tijjani Ramalan

By Innocent Orok

The former Board Chairman of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA), Alhaji (Dr.) Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan has urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene and address the pressing regulatory and operational challenges of the Ɗangote Refinery, to ameliorate the working and living conditions of Nigerians.

Ramalan, while speaking on LibertyTV News recently urged the President to intervene on regulatory, operational, local crude oil supply, hurdles on the way of the refinery.

He commended Aliko Ɗangote for significantly enhancing the economic fortunes of the country by providing employment for young people in Nigeria in his $17 billion world-class Ɗangote Oil Refinery at Lekki, Lagos State.

The former NIMASA board Chairman explained that the operation of the refinery at full capacity would bring immense benefits to the nation’s economy and create job and wealth opportunities in line with the administration’s “Renewed Hope Agenda”.

Ramalan said, “I urgently appeal to the President to address any impasse with some Oil Regulators in resolving the impasse with the company and ensuring that the refinery operates at full capacity which will bring immense benefits to the nation’s economy, such as reducing fuel costs, creating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and contributing to our country’s GDP, and will significantly alleviate the economic hardship faced by many Nigerians and providing much-needed relief to the common man”.

According to him, government agencies providing regulatory oversight functions should promote an enabling business environment for local investments to thrive. He said no regulatory agency should cast a shadow over a homegrown investment such as the Ɗangote Refinery.

Ramalan further said a business colossus as Aliko Ɗangote, with investments in diverse sectors of the economy and across the continent, should be accorded all needed support to grow and invest in more sectors and positively impact the well-being of the people.

Recall that since beginning operations in January, Ɗangote has faced difficulties securing adequate crude supplies in Nigeria. As a result, Ɗangote has resorted to importing crude from as far as Brazil and the United States.

Despite being Africa’s largest oil producer, Nigeria struggles with massive crude oil theft, in oil and gas shipping, pipeline vandalism, and low investment.

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