Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan
The Chief Executive Officer of an independent oil and gas exploration and production company, ND Western, Mr. Eberechukwu Oji, has said Nigeria being an oil producing country does not have any business in importing refined oil products.
He said this while addressing journalists shortly after the commissioning of Prof. Mosobalaje Oyawoye E-Library Complex at the Department of Geology, University of Ibadan.
The E-Library complex was built in honour of Oyawoye, the first professor of Geology in Africa and a native of Offa in Kwara State, who is regarded as ‘Baba’ of geologists
Present at the event include the acting Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Babatunde Ekanola, who was represented by Prof. Olayinka Omigbodun, the immediate past VC of the institution, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, members of the Oyawoye family, colleagues, members of Offa Descendants Union (ODU), captains of industry and many others.
Oji said what Nigeria needed to do is to export refined oil products and not import, stating that it is a shame that the country is spending scarce foreign exchange to import what it can produce locally.
According to him, “As I have said many times before, Nigeria should be exporting refined products by now. It does not make sense that we export our crude oil and then turn around to import refined products. It makes sense that we keep our resources within our country.”
He stated further that the oil sector is lucrative enough to attract the necessary investors, noting that the government should provide the enabling environment that would stimulate the interest of investors to commit their resources.
On the E-Library, he assured that the company would collaborate with the department to make it functional, maintaining that the leadership at ND Western like to excel at everything thing are involved in including the E-Library as it is part of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of the company.
“We would be delighted to collaborate further with the Geology department to evolve a model that will ensure this E-Library is put to great use and is optimally functional many years from now. In essence, we are assuring that ND Western is not a fairweather friend and not only passionate about running a great business but also have an abiding commitment towards our shared dream for a better Nigeria through Corporate Social Investment of this nature, “he said.
