NIGER PROPOSED REFINERY; YES THE NORTH CAN

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NIGER STATE GOVERNOR DR MUAZU BABANGIDA ALIYU

According to Nikolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) ; ‘it must be considered that there is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle than to initiate a new order of things’. The new order of things in the north with the recent moves to diversify its economy states clearly that even the north would confidently say ‘yes we can’.

Very soon with the prospect of having one of its component state listed as oil producing state, the north will stand tall economically. The region will alas arise from many years of despondency, many years of poverty and unemployment. It will chart a roadmap towards emerging with one of the best economies in Nigeria.

Niger has made its discovery of crude oil and will not stop at that. There are states in the region with propensity to exploit natural resources to the advantage of the resident economy and Nigeria as a country. The trail has been blazed for a new chapter of prosperity for the entire north and our great country.

Just as Machiavelli posited the moves towards listing Niger nay the north among oil producers may be dangerous and doubtful especially in the estimation of detractors. Therefore to engage on the long perilous move takes courage as both natural and man-made obstacles may be encountered.

There are times necessity breed invention but for the case of Niger state good leadership suffices. The discovery of crude oil or hydrocarbon in Bida basin has been an issue that has occupied the thoughts of the administration of Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu when it was evident that commercial quantity are available for prospection.

Earlier at the 47th international conference of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS) the President of the society Professor Anthony Azbuike Elueze revealed that scientific investigations has unearthed commercial availability of crude oil in the Nupe Basin.

Then the society of engineers following their resolve to draw the attention of government on the need to commence inland exploration of crude oil stated that the availability of commercial quantity of hydrocarbon in Bida is in no doubt.

The moves by the Aliyu led administration to embark on plans to establish a petrochemical refinery in the state has been the desire of the servant leader since assumption of office in 2007. He believes the best way for a state like Niger to survive all the huddles of payment of salaries and capital projects it must look beyond the paltry revenue from the federal government.

Aside the findings of NMGS, the Ibrahim Badamasi University was commissioned to explore the area again and the result was a resounding confirmation of hydrocarbon in the place. The earlier financial submission made by the institute put the cost of exploration at N45 billion.

Governor Aliyu never rested on his oars since the moves started especially on the detailed elements of the planning stage and the wooing of investors. The project is herculean and the need to have competent partners is of utmost importance to its success. But all these are not the worries of the servant leader who is interested in placing the state among three best in the country by the year 2020.

The plan to locate a refinery at Baro port is strategic especially in the area of proximity to prevent incidents of vandalising pipelines and to also increase commercial activities in the once enterprising port.

Good thing about the prospect of harnessing hydrocarbon in the Nupe basin is that it will add to the general reserve base of crude nationally, provide employment possibilities for teaming graduates. The establishment of a refinery in Baro will also bring about a balance in resource ownership which has recently become a major issue of friction between the divides in the country.

The Niger state Governor Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu, a seasoned administrator and academic may have sensed that the debate will flake off from one Nigeria to issues reflecting only regional bias. Following his instinct and determination to place the state top three in the federation by the year 2020 he decided to look for other ways of improving the revenue base of the state and Nigeria as a country.

Aliyu inaugurated a committee on the 15th of October 2011 with a mandate to ensure the successful process of making the project one of the best in the country. With Niger state blazing off as the first state in the north to commence exploration of crude oil, the stage therefore is set to pave way for the region to hold franchise to the ‘black gold’.

The decision of the Niger state government may be the only potent saving grace for Nigeria especially at a time its essence of unity seems to be failing. With the issue of resource control put to rest, political leadership could be handled hopefully from bases of personality and not who controls what.

Unfortunate trends lately see other regions gravitate towards splitting Nigeria with demands on the constitution that aims at taking the wind off an unprepared north. The north which up till recently viewed Nigeria as one entity found itself beating a bitter retreat as it became an overnight ‘black sheep’.

The insult to the region went beyond insinuations. Politicians from various divides of opinion openly called the region a group of leeches depending majorly on the handouts from the oil rich south. Others went further to state that the region is a hub of terrorists and a place for good for nothing leaders.

What informed all the insults is a demand for a review of revenue sharing formula by the Northern Governors Forum. The demand was not only harmless but people oriented especially to put the region back on cause from an era of poverty and underdevelopment.

Earlier the south-south governors had decried the 13 percent derivation being paid to oil producing states as paltry, calling for 50 percent. If the north is chided for demanding for a change in the sharing formula to survive then one wonder what the demand of the south-south should amount to. It appears that just for the simple fact that they have the resources they should take more rather than the need to have more.

If the yearly hydropower dam related flood disasters that plague the north is to be agitated for then how much will be appropriate for the region to demand especially considering the fact that it is responsible for a good percentage of power in Nigeria.

That the Dr Aliyu, at the behest of his colleague governors of the north made a modest presentation on the need for a review on revenue sharing formula does not give reasons for outrageous demands by so called oil producing states. It is therefore suffice to state that the north isn’t a waste land after all from the recent discoveries.

Only recently claims of discovery of gold, crude oil and silver in Taraba. If the claims are true then Nigerians should brace themselves for a positive twist of fortune for the north. The region for many decades has suffered from humiliation and poverty while people in other parts use Abuja to blackmail the north of siphoning oil money to develop.

The north once survived on agriculture produce. It thrived so well that the region had enough for export purpose. The prospect of hydrocarbon will mean well for the hardworking people of the north. It is also important to note that Jos has its own wealth of natural resources that are yet to be fully exploited.

Now that economic disparity is breaking off, Nigeria can once again breathe a sigh of relief especially in the area of resource supremacy. No one wants to leech on the other especially if that person has the resources to be self-sustaining.

Written By Ayegba Israel Ebije

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