The Labour Party (LP) has urged the Federal Government to resolve the lingering crisis in the petroleum and energy sectors by investing in the Modular Refinery as was done by the Edo State government.
The National Secretary of the Labour Party, Barrister Julius Abure, who made the call on Thursday in Abuja, also proposes that every state government should build a modular refinery to refine petroleum products for their consumption.
The Edo State government recently commissioned its modular refinery which has not only arrested the scarcity of the petroleum products, stabilised the product pricing but also enhaced the generation and distribution of electricity power supply to some parts of Benin metropolis.
“We are worried by the incessant increase in the prices of petrolrum products and electricity tariff which have further impoverished and pauperise the people.
“It is baffling that the federal government has allowed the international price of crude oil to determine the cost of petrol for local consumption,” Abure said.
He cited some provisions of the Constitution, including section16 (1)(b) that “control the national economy in such a manner as to secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every citizen on the basis of social justice and equality of status and opportunity”.
He said that the combined effect of the provisions suggest that it will not be out of place for government to provide welfare for its citizens.
“It is along this line and thinking that the initiative of the Edo State Government in providing Modular Refinery to refine petroleum products locally and the generation and distribution of electricity which has provided 24 hours power supply to some parts of Benin Metropolis are initiatives which the Federal Government can emulate,” the LP national scribe said.
He said that the only way out of the incessant hike in the prices of petroleum products is for government to revamp its existing refineries, build new ones and supply them crude oil to refine for local consumption at a fixed and reduced rates.
Abure said, “Labour Party proposes that every state government should build a modular refinery to refine petroleum products for their consumption.
“We urge the Federal Government to abandon this old narrative of making the people bear the brunt of all government unfair policies.”
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