…calls for fair crude allocation, stronger domestic refining policy
By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA – The Coalition of Yoruba Students and Youth Movement on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to strengthen local refining, ensure fair crude allocation to Nigerian-owned refineries, and end the importation of petroleum products.
The protesters, comprising members of various Yoruba student and youth organisations, said the rally aimed to draw attention to what they described as policies undermining Nigeria’s economic stability.
Speaking during the protest in Ibadan, the coalition’s National President, Comrade Benedict Adetunji, and Secretary, Comrade Busari Abdulraman, presented a position paper to the Presidency calling for urgent reforms in the oil and gas sector.
“The only path to genuine recovery lies in strengthening domestic production and reducing reliance on importation. No nation develops by outsourcing what it can produce locally,” they said.
The group identified the Dangote Refinery as an example of private investment that could catalyse national industrial growth if supported by fair policy measures.
It urged government to allocate crude oil to all domestic refineries at competitive rates and to end pricing policies that favour foreign refineries.
The youths also warned against actions by industry stakeholders that could disrupt refining operations, urging the Federal Government to protect local industries from economic sabotage.
“We must safeguard our strategic sectors from practices that threaten national progress,” the coalition added.
Recalling the collapse of Nigeria’s textile industry, the group said policy neglect and excessive importation had crippled once-thriving local enterprises.
It urged the Tinubu administration to learn from that history and adopt policies that prioritise domestic production.
“Countries that achieved industrial success did so by protecting their industries. Nigeria must do the same to secure sustainable growth,” they added.
The coalition reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful advocacy and youth engagement in national development, pledging continued dialogue with government and relevant stakeholders on issues affecting economic reform.
The post S-West youth stage protest, urge Tinubu to support local refining industry appeared first on Vanguard News.
