By Jane Okeke
The Arewa Youth Assembly has challenged Dangote Refinery to disclose its local refining costs amid Nigeria’s fuel price crisis.
The challenge came after Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) blamed Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) for the fuel price hike and allegedly undermining Dangote Refinery’s ability to offer lower prices.
Industry estimates show that the cost of refining a litre of petroleum exceeds N800, with a landing cost of around N1,117.
Briefing journalists in Abuja, Mohammed Salihu Danlami, Speaker of the Arewa Youth Assembly, disputed MURIC’s claims and emphasized that Dangote Refinery should clarify its local refining costs so Nigerians can hold the appropriate parties accountable for the fuel price hike.
The Arewa Youth Assembly also criticized MURIC for spreading false information and deviating from its religious principles.
They said, “MURIC blaming NNPCL for the hike in PMS price is laughable. It does not require rocket science to know that petroleum product prices, including those from the Dangote refinery, are mainly determined by global market forces and other parameters. The oil and gas sector is guided by international standards and benchmarks, and Nigeria’s OPEC membership requires adherence to certain principles.
“We challenge the Dangote refinery to transparently disclose the cost of refining a litre of fuel. This transparency will enable Nigerians to hold the right parties accountable.
“It is absurd and unacceptable to claim that NNPCL will determine the price of his product as a private entity or become the distributor for any entity in a free market environment.
“There are three refineries where NNPCL has exclusive power to determine PMS prices: Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries. Dangote is not one of them.
“We admonish MURIC to always verify their information and back it with categorical facts before disseminating it to the public. As a religious organization, it should remember the Hadith of the Holy Prophet: ‘Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good or remain silent.'”
