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From Joseph Obukata, Warri
Former Governor of Edo State and Senate Committee Chairman on Interior, Senator Adams Aliu Oshiomhole, said that the withdrawal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu didn’t only impact the economy positively but has made many young people self reliance by way of self development and investment in sectors that are also impacting the economy.
Oshiomhole noted that with the removal of subsidy, the era of depending on one friend in corridor of power to turn a billionaire overnight was gone, saying that it’s either you work, sell and make profit or become redundant and perish.
He spoke on Friday while inspecting a multi-billion naira tank farm built by an Itsekiri businessman and a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Chief Ayirimi Emami in Ifie and commissioning a mega fuel station within Garage area, an ever busy area of Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.
The former national chairman of the APC who took a facility tour of the A & E Tank Farm before inaugurating the gas station, while commending Chief Ayirimi for establishing the mega gas station in the heart of Warri, said the project was a ‘vote of confidence on the oil policy of President Bola Tinubu’.
He said that the project was very significant to the economy of Warri because Chief Ayirimi Emami made the investment after the removal of fuel subsidy, which he said has created a level playing ground for all in the Nigeria’s economy.
Oshiomole said: “I am very impressed by what I’ve seen. It takes a lot of courage and foresight to impress such a place that is swampy and turn it to an economic hub.
“It is significant that he is making this investment after the removal of petrol subsidy.
“I believe his action is a vote of confidence on the policy that President Bola Tinubu has put in place which effectively means that Tinubu has put an end to the regime that if you have a friend in the oil system they can turn you to a billionaire overnight, without effort, just by sheer favour and connection and sometimes political bias.
“Now, with the withdrawal of subsidy, you either work, sell, prosper or you don’t and you perish.
“This is the level playing field that President Tinubu has created by the policy.”
Senator Oshiomhole commended Chief Emami for investing in Nigeria at a time many young people are leaving the country, describing Emami as “best ambassador in the industrial sub sector.”
Delta State Governor, Rt Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Chief Vincent Oyibode, commended Chief Emami for building the gas station, noting that it would create jobs for people in the state.
The governor, however, called on other Deltans to emulate the gesture by investing in the state.
“This has contributed to the economic boom of Delta State. The tank farm is a huge facility. We want more investment of this magnitude. Like the small scale business, it creates multiplier effects in the economy.”
The Chairman of Warri South Local Government Area, Dr. Michael Tidi, who addressed newsmen shortly after the facility was inaugurated, lauded Chief Ayirimi Emami for investing in Warri.
In his remarks, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of A&E Group, Chief Ayirimi Emami, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for having the courage to implement the removal of fuel subsidy and appealed to him to help ease the burden of transporting petroleum products from Escravos to Warri.
The member representing Warri Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Chief Thomas Ereyitomi, Chief Mike Odeli, Chief Vincent Okudolor and other chiefs in Agbarah – Warri, representative of Papa Ayodele Oritsejafor, Reverend Sam Akpoviroro and other prominent personalities, graced the ceremony.
