The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has made a fervent plea to the Federal Government, urging them to intervene and prevent the Nigerian Navy from dismantling unauthorized refining facilities in the Niger Delta region.
During a press briefing marking the culmination of the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, NULGE President Ambali Olatunji emphasized the detrimental impact of razing these sites, stressing that it offers no advantages for the country’s oil and gas sector or its citizens. Olatunji proposed that instead of demolition, these facilities should be formalized through licensing and obliged to pay taxes, thus fostering employment opportunities and generating revenue.
Furthermore, Olatunji advocated for the authorization of more modular refineries with the capability to process crude oil, especially in the wake of multinational departures from the country. He asserted that this move, combined with an increased minimum wage, could mitigate the repercussions of fuel subsidy removal.
Additionally, NULGE urged the government to address the hardships stemming from fuel subsidy removal by establishing Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) centers nationwide and finalizing an equitable minimum wage through the Tripartite Committee.
On the security front, the organization appealed for the decentralization of policing powers to Local Governments, enabling them to implement community policing initiatives aimed at safeguarding the lives and property of citizens within their jurisdictions.
