The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has urged the Federal government to take concrete steps in repairing the country’s refineries in other to achieve self-sufficiency in oil production.
Mr Elvis Ekudina, NANS National Senate President, stated this in a statement issued in Abeokuta on Saturday.
Ekundina noted that Nigeria’s continued importation of petroleum products had not assisted in the growth and development of the country.
The student leader added that the country’s refineries, when effectively and efficiently running, could produce enough petroleum products to meet the country’s daily consumption.
He argued that Nigeria as an oil producing country needed not continue to import fuel if all the nation’s refineries are working at optimal capacity.
The NANS Senate President therefore, said for Nigeria to end the importation of petroleum products, Nigeria needed to repair its own refineries based on the technological capacity of Nigerians.
“It is our belief that refurbishing and recommissioning of our faulty refineries to optimal production level will resolve the nation’s energy crisis.
“This will also resolve the challenges the country is having with foreign exchange and the worsening naira crisis.
“When we are able to repair our refineries and put them back to good use, Nigeria’s problem with fuel insufficiency and pricing will be resolved.
“It is good to have our refineries fully working alongside the Dangote refinery as this will ultimately make Nigeria a net exporter of refined petroleum products and this will also allow for stability in fuel prices”, he said.