A former federal lawmaker and public speak expert, Senator Ben Bruce, has warned Nigerians not to expect reduction in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol when the newly commissioned Dangote Refinery begins operation.
Ben Bruce said, rather than come down, prices of petrol or fuel and other petroleum products would go up because Dangote cannot afford to subsidise the products as government has been doing, unless he want to go bankrupt.
The former Bayelsa born lawmaker was seen in a video granting interview to an online TV station where he said that Alhaji Ailko Dangote, the chairman of Dangote Industries Limited has shamed many administrations in the country by doing what the government could not do in many years.
He lamented that in spite of huge resources spent in the Petroleum sector over the years, Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries have remained moribund.
He said- “It took one man to do what government should have done over the years. He has basically embarrassed multiple governments in Nigeria because what he is doing is what government should have done.
“It took one man to build this refinery. They can’t fix Port Harcourt, they can’t fix Warri, they can’t fix Kaduna. Isn’t that an embarrassment?
“And he is a hero. So government should apologise to Nigerians for being so inept and not being able to do what one man has done. That’s why I think that he is a great guy.
“Price is going to go up. We will be in market value PMS. The minute he starts, we will be in market value. Don’t think his refinery will make prices drop. You are going to pay market value.”
Ben Bruce at this point asked the interviewer how much he pays to fill his tank and the reporter said N8000 to N10,000.
The senator then said- “Then you will be paying N30,000 (to fill his tank). Market value. He is not going to subsidise you. The government can subsidise you but he cannot subsidise you.
“He is not going to do this and subsidise you. If he doesn’t charge market value, be would be broke,” he concluded.
