International conspiracy and corruption

Stealing money from government purse is not the only form of corruption killing Nigeria. One of the most deadly forms of corruption is International Conspiracy. And nobody seems to be talking about that. Yet it is more deadly than direct stealing from government. Nigeria has not built a single new refinery in over 30 years. […]

Stealing money from government purse is not the only form of corruption killing Nigeria.
One of the most deadly forms of corruption is International Conspiracy. And nobody seems to be talking about that. Yet it is more deadly than direct stealing from government.
Nigeria has not built a single new refinery in over 30 years. The youngest refinery (Kaduna) is over 30 years old, built by the Obasanjo regime in 1979. So, Nigeria built 4 refineries (since independence 1960-1979) in 20 years. And yet the same country built zero refineries in 36 years (1980-2016). Meanwhile, our population doubled in those years. Technically and economically, the lifespan of a refinery is 30 years.
One does not need to be a rocket scientist, to know that something is wrong somewhere. The conspirators have been at work all these years. For them, it is in their best interest that Nigeria continues to import petroleum products rather than to be self-sufficient in the same. And these people are in government at the highest level and also in the upper segments of the private sector.
Then there is the power sector. Nigeria is no. 1 in the world in the importation of generators of all sizes, from “I pass my neighbour”, less than 1KVA, to 2MVA, the giant that can run a refinery and cement factories. All those manufacturers of generators out there and their internal local agents will do anything to ensure that we do not get our power equations right. Because if we do, the factories out there will all have to shut down and their local scavengers will go hungry.
South Africa produces over 4,000MW from its coal-powered Kendal Power station in Mpumalanga, built in 1993. That is more than all of Nigeria’s power stations put together. Yet we have coal in Kogi, Enugu, Nasarawa and Benue states, and not a single coal-powered power station in Nigeria. Meanwhile, we have played into the hands of these conspirators by privatizing power. You think they will deliver? Not when they make more money by our power failures.
Still on power, the largest coal-powered power station in the world is in Taiwan- Taichung Power Plant, producing 5,500MW. The US has 600 coal powered power stations producing 37% of the power needs of America. China is largely dependent on coal for power. So, why have we left our own coal in the ground ALL THESE YEARS? Coal-powered plants are acceptable sources of energy worldwide.
Probably, the most shameful of all is in the Agricultural Sector. From Shehu Shagari’s time, 1979, we started importing rice to feed ourselves. Yet, any one of our 12 rice-producing states can feed us with some spare for export. So, why have we been importing rice all these years? International Conspirators and their local backers have been at work.
Same goes for steel production and our iron ore deposits. If Nigeria gets it right here, many steel plants will shut down worldwide. We’ll do well to shine our eyes, also on the international arena.
Money lost through International Conspiracy is probably higher than that lost through petty thieves like Diezani and Co., except, of course, some people belong to both categories.
Moses Yahaya Awodi, [email protected]