The President of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly, Godswill Akpabio, at the weekend, led the Senate leadership to the 650,000bpd Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lagos, saying the President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has achieved a feat where nations and continents have failed.
He described the refinery as the Ninth Wonder of the World, saying Dangote had shamed and proved the Doubting Thomases wrong by the completion of the refinery in record time.
Akpabio, who was joined by his Deputy, Jibrin Barau, Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, Tokunbo Abiru and a host of others, assured that the National Assembly would give the refinery what it took to protect the project because it's one that Nigeria and indeed Africa should take the ownership of and protect jealously.
While commending Alhaji Dangote for completing the construction of the largest single-train refinery in the world in record time, Akpabio noted that the ordinary residence of Nigeria's vice president could not be completed until after 14 years.
He said, "They told us in Abuja that the Dangote Refinery was a farce, but we have come here to see for ourselves that the refinery is alive and running. Dangote has put to shame a lot of people. They are wondering how it will be possible for a single individual to accomplish what a whole nation could not accomplish; what 240 million people could not maintain; what a continent could not do, and then one person will build a 650,000bpd project.
"They keep wondering how one person can succeed where nations have failed; where continents have failed. But Dangote has done it. It is highly commendable. We came to see the refinery because we in the current Senate believe in the Nigerian dream. We didn't come as a doubting Thomas, but we came because we believe in the project, we came to rekindle the hope of Nigerians and the 'Nigerians can do' spirit."
Senator Akpabio expressed regret that the whole of Nigeria couldn't make refineries function in Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Warri, but that Dangote and his team proved that it was possible to dream and achieve it in Nigeria.
Akpabio further said that the shame that came with the discovery of oil in Nigeria in 1958 had been removed by Dangote, alluding to a report that India does not have oil but that its refineries exported refined products.
He said, "The inability of the nation to refine its oil has brought untold hardship on Nigerians so much so that the Belgian government recently banned the exportation of dirty and condemned fuel to West African countries just because we can't refine our own products.
"Mr Dangote, I pity you a lot because even your friends will envy you simply because they will keep wondering how can you succeed when nations and continents have failed. Now that we have seen for ourselves, we are here to announce our own endorsement of this major project. It is also shocking to see that we produce sufficient fertilisers for Nigeria and enough to be exported.
"As I said, we will do our report and we will speak to Mr President to put a stop to fertiliser import to Nigeria. You will hear from us soon."
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said it was a thing of joy and privilege that the refinery happened in "our time, our state and our country.
"People talk about dreams, but only a few can make them happen. Dangote has put Lagos State and the whole of Nigeria on the world map of excellence.
"I am happy the Senate came to see for themselves; Dangote was not ready to rest after successfully building the largest cement factory chain in Africa, second largest sugar refinery in the world. With investments like this, I can assure you that we are on the right path to meet the projected GDP of $1trn by 2030.
"You have the key to the city I gave you a long time ago, and I am happy you are using it very well."
Dangote thanked the Senate leadership for the visit and the endorsement , saying the "visit could not have come at a more auspicious time than now just as the organisation is in the process of bringing the various units of this complex integrated refining processes on stream; an eagerly awaited move."
He stated further that the Dangote Refinery "produces a wide range of high-quality petroleum products, including petrol, diesel, kerosene and jet fuel, all meeting the highest international standards (Euro V Grade). The refinery, apart from adding value to our crude oil, will yield 900,000 KTPA of polypropylene and 36,000 KTPA of sulphur and carbon black as byproducts.
"The refinery will help boost Nigeria's economic growth with the creation of thousands of direct and indirect jobs. During the construction stage, it supported over 150,000 jobs, made up of mostly Nigerians. These Nigerians in the process acquired various skills that are still useful in other construction projects.
"The capacity of the refinery is enough to satisfy domestic demands for refined products. The refinery will export about 50 per cent of its production thereby generating foreign exchange for the country. It will lead to growth in adjacent sectors such as logistics, shipping, engineering and servicing.
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"The refinery has the requisite capacity to provide energy security both by providing a ready home for our crude and in ensuring steady availability of petroleum products for all. Nigerians will also get to partake in the financial returns once we list the refinery on the NGX.
"We are thus making an important contribution to this administration's plan to grow our GDP to $1trn.
"Our group is at the vanguard of job creation and employment generation in Nigeria. We are the biggest employer of labour after the federal government. Dangote Cement sustains about 70,000 direct and indirect jobs across Africa, while the refinery, petroleum chemical complex and fertiliser will be able to create over 150,000 direct and indirect jobs.
"We have remained one of the biggest contributors to government coffers as our three subsidiaries: Dangote Cement, Dangote Sugar Refinery and NASCON Allied Industries, paid a total of N788.98bn as tax and N276bn in VAT in three years."
