'As petroleum minister, Buhari should have addressed subsidy issues by now' - Shehu Sani

Senator Shehu Sani has said President Buhari as the minister of petroleum resources should have addressed fuel subsidy “by now.”



Sani said this while speaking on the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Thursday. The senator was contributing to a debate on a report for the payment of subsidy arrears to some oil marketers.



The lawmakers eventually approved a sum of N129 billion as payment for the arrears. The legislator said if Ghana could refine its crude, Nigeria could do the same. According to him, until Nigeria starts refining its crude, the “circle of exploitation” would continue.


“The issues of subsidy has been lingering. Until we start refining our crude oil this circle of exploitation will be ongoing. The president is the minister of petroleum resources, we thought by now he should have been able to address these issues.

“Refineries built more than three, four decades ago are still lying fallow and we are waiting for Dangote to finish his refinery. Refining [crude] is not rocket science rocket science, if Ghana is refining its product why are we still not. A government that opposes subsidy is still paying [for it], when will this end?” he said.