The Minister of Information and Communications, Dora Akunyili, yesterday got more than she bargained for when Enerique Fernando Arrundell, the Venezuelan Ambassador to Nigeria, used the opportunity of his visit to her office to tell Nigerians some hard lessons
     on how to manage, develop and utilise their God-given
      natural resources for the benefit and good of all.
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     The envoy, who was responding to an appeal by Mrs..
      Akunyili to help woo some of his country’s investors to
      come in and establish refineries under the federal
      government’s planned deregulation of the downstream sector
      of the nation’s petroleum industry, advised
      Nigeria to rather look inwards and to take full control of
      the industry.
     Though, he acknowledged Venezuela as a prominent member of
       the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
       like Nigeria, he said his country will be willing to
       collaborate with the federal government to develop the
       industry.
      The hard truth
      Mr. Arrundell said, “In Venezuela, since 1999, we’ve
      never had a raise in fuel price. We only pay $1.02 to fill
       the tank. What I pay for with N12,000 here (Nigeria), in
     Venezuela I’ll pay N400. What is happening is simple. Our
      President (Hugo Chavez) decided
      one day to control the industry, because it belongs to the
      Venezuelans. If you don’t control the industry, your
      development will be in the hands of the foreigners.
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      You have to have your own country. The oil is your
      country’s. Sorry I am telling you this. I am giving you
      the experience of Venezuela. We have 12 refineries in the
      United States, 18,000 gas stations in the West Coast. All we
      are doing is in the hands of the
      Venezuelans.â€
       The envoy said, “Before 1999, we had three or four
       foreign companies working with us. That time they were
       taking 80 per cent, and giving us 20. Now, we have 90 per
       cent, and giving them 10. But now, we have 22 countries
       working with us in that condition.
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      It is the Venezuelan condition. You know why? It is because
      60 per cent of the income goes to social programmes.
      That’s why we have 22,000 medical doctors assisting the
       people in the community. The people don’t go to the
      hospital; doctors go to their houses.
      This is because the money is handled by the Venezuelans.
      How come Nigeria that has more technical manpower than
      Venezuela, with 150 million people, and very intellectual
      people all around, not been able to get it right? The
      question is: If you are not handling
      your resources, how are you going to handle the country?
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      “So, it is important that Nigeria takes control of her
       resources. We have no illiterate people. We have over 17 new
       universities totally free. I graduated from the university
       without paying one cent, and take three meals every day,
      because we have the resources.
       We want the resources of the Nigerian people for the
       Nigerians. It is enough! It is enough, Minister!â€
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