Former presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) General Muhammadu Buhari (retired) at the weekend recalled his days as head of state, when things worked in the oil sector and how successive regimes destroyed all that. General Buhari, who was in Lafia to attend a marriage of former Works Minister, Dr. Hassan Lawal, a chieftain of the CPC, told newsmen that he was disappointed that the government of President Goodluck Jonathan has no interest in prosecuting companies indicted in the oil subsidy funds theft by the House of Representatives.
He said what the country is witnessing is part of the foundation laid by successive regimes after his one-year administration in the 80s, saying things changed for the bad after he was ousted from power.
The former military leader said when he ruled, Nigeria had only one refinery, producing 60,000 barrels of refined products per day, saying the refinery was later upgraded to produce 100,000 barrels per day.
He said another refinery was built there to produce another 150,000 barrels, such that in Port Harcourt alone, "Nigeria was producing 250,000 barrels, with another 200,000 coming from Warri and Kaduna."
He said at a point, Nigeria under his leadership was exporting 100,000 barrels a day of refined products, after satisfying home market.
But he said "corrupt successive governments have destroyed the petroleum industry and Nigeria became a net importer, only to discover that even the money was stolen."
Daily Trust