•Femi Falana, SAN
Human rights lawyer and a Senior Advocate of Nigerian (SAN) Femi Falana is worried about the negative impacts of the Dangote Refinery spat, saying the saga sends a dangerous signal to investors about Nigeria.
“Well, I’ve enjoyed the inter-class feud or what you might call a dog-eat-dog affair. But it’s at the expense of the country and we cannot continue like this,” Falana said last night on Channels TV.
“The government cannot go around the world asking for foreign investment only to be accused of destroying local investment. It is very dangerous for the country.”
Nigerian regulatory authorities had accused Dangote Refinery of rolling out sub-standard petroleum products, a claim the company has refuted.
The chairman of the Dangote Group Aliko Dangote had also shelved plans for investment in the steel sector owing to accusations of monopoly against him.
‘Very Puerile Argument’
But Falana has dismissed the monopoly claim, labelling it as childish.
“It is so embarrassing that we are telling the whole world that the government of Nigeria is incapable of managing its affairs. That one person is monopolising trade in our country,” he said.
“What is the purpose of the government? It is to checkmate any monopolistic control of any business in Nigeria. But what do you call a monopoly?
“If you have allowed your own refineries to be destroyed, what happens? Somebody now decides to have a refinery, that’s a monopoly. There is nothing you can do about it.”
“You must now stop this childish, very puerile argument that someone wants a monopoly,” he said, calling on the government to work and fix the country’s refineries.
“Is it not the business of the government? That’s why you have the Federal Consumer Protection Commission to deal with anybody who wants to maintain a monopoly in business in the country. The government must go back to the drawing table.”
Falana asked the government to work with Dangote Refinery and support its operations.
“If a factory is likely to employ 500,000 people, young people, the government must try and embrace that company and see what can be done,” he said.
