Bayelsa industrial businessman, Dr. Azibapu Eruani has rekindled hope in Nigerians that the hydra-headed malaise of fuel scarcity and acute unemployment would be reduced to its barest minimum, if not eradicated as licensed privately owned refineries commences operation.
Eruani, President of the Azikel Group, conglomerate comprising Azikel Petroleum, Azikel Dredging, Azikel Power and Azikel Air said this while speaking with journalists in Yenagoa.
Decrying the yearly fuel scarcity debacle, particularly during festive periods in the country, he pointed that this challenge has become embarrassing and biting, as it has virtually crippled economic activities in the country.
The company disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday. Accordingly, Eruani noted that the challenge persists in the country because the efficiency level of existing refineries is low to satisfy consumers demand; just as the nation depends solely on the importation of fuel for local consumption.
The Azikel Group President averred that the present administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari took a pragmatic step to redress low supply, importation of fuel and price hike, by issuing licenses to privately own refineries to Nigerian businessmen, Azikel Group inclusive.
He noted that Azikel Petroleum has achieved 65% completion; and that it would soon begin operation, even as he noted that when all licensed privately owned refineries begin to dispense fuel it would shore up production capacity and fuel scarcity and insufficiency would be outlawed, and Nigeria would be like other countries where availability of petroleum product would no longer be an issue.
Said he โโAzikel Petroleum refinery, phase 1, 12, 000 bpsd hydro-skimming refinery would produce, premium motor spirit, liquefied Petroleum gas, heavy fuel oil, Kerosene and diesel, which is scalable as it will increase geometrically in the phase 2 level of production with over 50,000 bpsd.
โโAzikel Group is irrevocably committed to bridging the industrial deficit in Bayelsa, we are on a fast lane of making history, building the first hydro-skimming privately owned refinery in the state and the Niger Delta, and as we pioneer this course others would follow,โ Eruani submitted.
โโit might be difficult yesterday, but we have move beyond the point of difficulty to success, and we believe that fuel scarcity in Nigeria would be a thing of the past soon.
He dismissed the erroneous impression that Bayelsa is a militant state, stressing that the people are enterprising and a whole lots of small and medium business is also thriving in the state.
Eruani alluded that the multiplier effect of adequate supply of petroleum product in the country would drastically reduce the problem of unemployment, which is responsible for brain drain, illegal means to greener pasture, particularly the Libya returnees, as well as other in pathetic conditions faced by young Nigerians in other countries.
He shared the optimism that synergy between the private sector and government at all levels is needed to advance technology driven industrialization to absorb graduates from our universities, as a well as create room for middle and low class manpower.
The Azikel Group President noted that subsidiaries under the group have created industrialization in Bayelsa and the Niger Delta, stressing that with over 1000 employees from the six geo-political zones and still counting, we have reduced unemployment challenge in the state, Niger Delta and in the country.
โโWe do not want Bayelsans, Niger Delta youths and Nigerians to be idle, we donโt want them to become illegal migrant begging for jobs and been lured into abominable social vices, such as prostitution and drug addict, cultist and robbery.
To this end, Eruani noted that an industrialised state and nation is the cardinal key to stable economic prosperity, which would in turn create institutions that would stamp out unemployment, even as he pointed that Azikel Group is on a mission to create the right values towards industrial growth, bring unemployment to its lowest ebb and promote financial freedom among all Nigerians.
