[size=14pt]Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuel ‘makes no sense,’ says US[/size]
By Agency Reporter, Published: Thursday, 1 Apr 2010

United States has described Nigeria’s reliance on imported fuel as something that “makes no sense.”

At a press briefing on Tuesday afternoon in New York, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, Mr. Phillip Crowley, said there was no reason for Nigeria, an oil-producing country, to be importing refined petroleum products except for the actions of some unnamed selfish people, Empowered Newswire reports.

On Monday, new Nigerian Ambassador to the US, Prof. Adebowale Adefuye, met with President Barack Obama at the White House, where he presented his letters of credence. Obama told the ambassador that “the prolonged absence of President Yar‘Adua has triggered much uncertainty in Nigeria.”

Speaking exactly 24 hours after the Obama-Adefuye meeting, Crowley recalled that “when Secretary Clinton was in Nigeria last August, she was very firm in her discussion with President Yar’Adua and other ministers about rooting out corruption, about making sure that the government was performing better.”

According to Crowley, “Nigeria is a significant country, one of the anchors of Africa, and yet – you see that it is a country that is blessed with considerable resources; and yet it has to import refined petroleum products. It makes no sense.”

“There is no rational basis for that to be occurring, other than you have a number of people in Nigeria who are looking after their own interest and not the broader public interest.”

He also spoke about the request of the US government for information on the true nature of Yar’Adua’s sickness. He said that it was indeed the right of Nigerians to be given such information.

The matter, Crowley added “is a question that we have. We are concerned about – we were concerned when President Yar’Adua was flown back from Saudi Arabia and there were questions about his ability to govern. I think those questions have, for the moment, been answered. We recognise the acting presidency of Goodluck Jonathan. We are very supportive of him.”

But he declared that the question is not really “for us. It is actually for the Nigerian people. They deserve to know that there is a government in place working on their behalf.”

But he assured that the US government remained “very supportive of effective governance in Nigeria, and we think that is crucial to making sure that Nigeria remains stable, remains an anchor in that part of Africa, and can play the role it has played regionally, and more broadly in terms of helping Africa advance.”

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201004013305540

Insightful analysis.

Those Nigerians that have been asleep must begin to open their eyes.

hmmmm makkes no sense abi why dont they stop lying and build refineries in naija.
always talking out both sides of their mouths liars

When Oil companies are allocated Oil blocks they are suppose to build refineries in naija and it has always been like that.

So why is the US govt acting like they dont know COMPANIES OWNED Bush Chenney, and co . . come to naija and are suppose to build refineries but instead take crude back to the refineries in yankee?

takes two to tango

Thank you Mr Crawley. Please say that again.

The oil companies are at fault, while at the same time, our inept leaders are at fall as well. We cannot continue to blame foreigners for our own problems. Our leaders are ok with the status quo, and the oil companies are making money as they suppose to do so you cannot place the blame solely on them. Companies are in it for the money, but our leaders should be the ones who have the people's interest at heart. However, they do not and many Nigerians are suffering.

UcheUwadi_:

The oil companies are at fault, while at the same time, our inept leaders are at fall as well. We cannot continue to blame foreigners for our own problems. Our leaders are ok with the status quo, and the oil companies are making money as they suppose to do so you cannot place the blame solely on them. Companies are in it for the money, but our leaders should be the ones who have the people's interest at heart. However, they do not and many Nigerians are suffering.

You are wrong about blaming the oil companies. Nobody will set up a neighbours household or country for them.

Why doesn't Shell buy guns and hire the Saudi army to shoot Saudi's as they do in Nigeria?
Why doesn't Shell pollute Saudi soil as they freely pollute the ND?
Why doesn't Shell flare gas in Saudi Arabia as they do in Nigeria?

This is the answer to the above questions;

“There is no rational basis for that to be occurring, other than you have a number of people in Nigeria who are looking after their own interest and not the broader public interest.”

- Phillip Crowley