South East Forum (SEF), a common platform for the propagation of South-east interests in the country, has faulted the proposed refinery site in Kogi State.
Three refineries have been scheduled to be built by the Federal Government in Kogi, Lagos and Bayelsa states. Of these, SEF claim only Bayelsa produces oil.
SEF argued that it was an unfair decision not to locate any of the proposed refineries in the South-east, a region with two oil producing states. SEF’s position was contained in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mazi Patrick Ogbonnaya.
The statement described it as preposterous, unjust and a continuation of the unfortunate scheme of marginalisation against the people of the South-east geopolitical region of Nigeria: “It has come to our notice that the Federal Government plans to build three new refineries in the country. That is a welcome development, given that if it is executed and well managed, the country will be spared the recurring embarrassment of petroleum shortages and attendant sufferings by the citizens.
“However, what is worrisome is the realisation that none of the proposed refineries is to be located in the South-east geo-political region. This is preposterous, unjust and the height of marginalisation and simply unacceptable to us.
“Two states, namely Abia and Imo in the South-east produce oil in commercial quantities yet the Federal Government did not consider it proper to locate one of the refineries in the zone.
“For us, no amount of explanation would suffice, that neither Abia nor Imo qualifies to have one of the refineries built on its soil. What is the justification for citing a refinery in Kogi State, for instance? Oil, or what? What is the justification for citing a refinery in Lagos? Oil, or what? Okay, perhaps for the population of Lagos, this could be understood.
“Bayelsa, too, is understandable, an oil producing state. But beyond that, being the president’s backyard is perhaps a more probable reason. It is unthinkable, this bare faced cheating of a people. Coming at a time the existing imbalance in states’ configuration is yet to be addressed, this is marginalisation taken too far,” the SEF stated.
