By Eric Elezuo
Following the fallout between the Federal Government owned Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited and the Dangote Group over crude supply, celebrity journalist, Chief Dele Momodu, has advised President Bola Tinubu not to chase investors away, adding that in a season of anomy as is being experienced in Nigeria currently, he needs all the friends he can get in the private sector.
The renowned publisher of Ovation International gave the advise while featuring as a guest on Politics Today on Channels Television on Monday.
He said, “The whole social media is awash and abuzz with the issue of this Dangote refinery. Instead of me rehashing what people are saying, let me just tell you my own solution. Mr President, in this season of anomy in Nigeria, you need all the friends you can get in the private sector.”
He frowned at the ongoing spat between the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Authority and the management of Dangote Refinery, saying the crisis is taking a toll on the owner, Aliko Dangote.
“It’s almost like it is a crime to be an investor in Nigeria. I saw the reports in the Financial Times, Bloomberg and others. It will not help Nigeria.
“I don’t know who has grudges to bear with him. He should call him into a bedroom. Let them go and settle it behind closed doors. We cannot afford to wash this dirty linen in public. It is going to boomerang for all of us. That is my attitude.
“I believe this man has invested so much in Nigeria, just like other people. We have a lot of good businessmen in Nigeria who are doing great things. We should encourage them and not allow them to run away. Now, he said one of his friends is laughing at him because he warned him not to put all his eggs in one basket.
“I have seen other countries where Dangote invested. I have been to his plants in Ethiopia, Zambia and Tanzania. I can see the effort those countries are making to accommodate him there. We should not chase our businessmen away.
“I am sure other business people in Nigeria are watching. They might say, ‘hey, if this can happen to Dangote, it can happen to me.’ And everybody will be scared. We should not create this panic. We can’t afford this at this time,” Momodu warned.
Momodu insisted that it would be a shame for Nigeria to allow its oil sector players and stakeholders to be washing their ‘dirty linen’ in public while the world looks on.
Recall that Dangote and the NMDPRA has been having a running over the Dangote Refinery with the government agency claiming that products from Dangote is inferior in comparison to others.