PRESIDENCY yesterday declared that for
petroleum products to be available nationwide, there is no going back on full
deregulation of the oil sector.
Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak, said: “There must be complete deregulation of oil sector if Nigeria must move forward; without complete deregulation, private investors will not come to build refineries.
“They will always apply for licences, they import because there is subsidy to be paid; once the subsidy regime is in place, we will always have problems - our petroleum sector will not be developed; private investors will not bring in foreign investment to build the refineries.
“Even indigenous investors are not willing to build refineries if they can go and import petroleum products and be paid subsidy by the government.
“So, if we want development in that sector; if we want availability; if we want to add value to our crude oil, then we must deregulate the sector and investors should come in and build refineries.”
On Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC’s) request for ‘full’ autonomy, Gulak said nobody was interfering with the electoral body’s operation, pointing out that the President had always given the electoral body whatever it needed in terms of funding.
INEC asked the government for greater autonomy as well as allowing Nigerians in the Diaspora to vote in future elections in the country.
Chairman of the commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, canvassed the body’s demands in a proposal he sent to the National Assembly, seeking amendments to the 1999 Constitution.
Jega said INEC should be made to be “operationally independent” like other federal agencies such as the National Population Commission (NPC).
However, Gulak said: “What do they mean by full autonomy? They are Independent National Electoral Commission; they are governed by Electoral Act (as amended).
“They are not part of the executive neither are they part of the judiciary and are not also part of legislature.
“They conduct the election the way they feel best and all allocations due to them has been released by President Goodluck Jonathan.”
The Special Adviser said that the President was also ready to support INEC in all its undertakings.
On the state of Nigerian roads, Gulak said that the roads were dilapidating faster due to overuse.
He maintained that pressure on the roads would significantly reduce once the rail system being planned by the government became functional.
He urged Nigerians to support the Transformation Agenda in order to ensure rapid growth and development of the country, create jobs and tackle insecurity.
Gulak also urged Nigerians to allow political parties in the country to grow along democratic lines, saying that it would be one way of delivering the dividends of democracy.
Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak, said: “There must be complete deregulation of oil sector if Nigeria must move forward; without complete deregulation, private investors will not come to build refineries.
“They will always apply for licences, they import because there is subsidy to be paid; once the subsidy regime is in place, we will always have problems - our petroleum sector will not be developed; private investors will not bring in foreign investment to build the refineries.
“Even indigenous investors are not willing to build refineries if they can go and import petroleum products and be paid subsidy by the government.
“So, if we want development in that sector; if we want availability; if we want to add value to our crude oil, then we must deregulate the sector and investors should come in and build refineries.”
On Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC’s) request for ‘full’ autonomy, Gulak said nobody was interfering with the electoral body’s operation, pointing out that the President had always given the electoral body whatever it needed in terms of funding.
INEC asked the government for greater autonomy as well as allowing Nigerians in the Diaspora to vote in future elections in the country.
Chairman of the commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, canvassed the body’s demands in a proposal he sent to the National Assembly, seeking amendments to the 1999 Constitution.
Jega said INEC should be made to be “operationally independent” like other federal agencies such as the National Population Commission (NPC).
However, Gulak said: “What do they mean by full autonomy? They are Independent National Electoral Commission; they are governed by Electoral Act (as amended).
“They are not part of the executive neither are they part of the judiciary and are not also part of legislature.
“They conduct the election the way they feel best and all allocations due to them has been released by President Goodluck Jonathan.”
The Special Adviser said that the President was also ready to support INEC in all its undertakings.
On the state of Nigerian roads, Gulak said that the roads were dilapidating faster due to overuse.
He maintained that pressure on the roads would significantly reduce once the rail system being planned by the government became functional.
He urged Nigerians to support the Transformation Agenda in order to ensure rapid growth and development of the country, create jobs and tackle insecurity.
Gulak also urged Nigerians to allow political parties in the country to grow along democratic lines, saying that it would be one way of delivering the dividends of democracy.
Compass
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