KEY POINTS
- Afe Babalola appealed to the government to allow Dangote sell petrol directly.
- The removal of monopoly by the NNPC may act as a bonus to the overall fuel costs that the citizens of Nigeria are subjected to.
- Babalola gets a recognition from the U.S for his effort in the enhancement of education and development.
The founder of Afe Babalola University Aare Afe Babalola has criticized the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) monopoly over the sales of fuel to the public and has requested the Federal Government to allow Dangote Refinery to vend the fuel directly for cheaper prices.
According to Babalola, it would help in reducing the upward trend of petrol increment in Nigeria affecting millions of Nigerians.This can be achieved through the following questions; “If Dangote had refused to invest his resources to build a massive refinery, why should NNPC force him to sell to them before selling to the public?” Babalola questioned.
Furhermore, he recommended that allowing Dangote and other capable refineries to sell their products directly would significantly reduce petrol prices.
Reducing fuel costs through ending NNPC monopoly
Babalola went further to noted the desirability of competition in the Nigerian petroleum market to the effect that once other refineries are allowed to operate without the strings that NNPC has attached to it, the price of fuel would come down. He also observed that as the refinery which has received a lot of investment from Dangote can supply cheaper fuel if permitted, NNPC practices hamper this provision to the public.
“There should not be any monopoly of NNPC”. Babalola therefore urged the government to implement policies that would help ease the hardship on Nigerians stating, “let Dangote sell at his rate, the price will come down.”
Babalola honoured for contributions to development
Later at the award event, Babalola was conferred an ‘Outstanding Achiever of All Time’ award by a group referred to as Ekiti-Kete Coalition in America.
According to Vanguard, The award celebrated his effort in education, health, law making, farming and also philanthropic causes. Joe Olugbamila, the president of the coalition claimed that Babalola was an epitome of achievement stating that whatever the don has done has influenced Ekiti and Nigeria in general.
“We are celebrating him to enable the encouragement of other change agents and to kind of reorient our thought process to enable Ekiti to advance,” Olugbamila added, noting that Babalola’s work provides guidance for future leaders.
