By Newsworld

African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, has said corruption in Nigeria’s fuel importation sector could be stopped within a short period if the country’s president demonstrates the political will to tackle it.

Amaechi made the remark during an interview with AIT, while discussing the ADC’s proposed approach to fuel subsidy, the Dangote Refinery, modular refineries and the future of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its refineries under an administration led by the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

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Addressing the issue of fuel subsidy, Amaechi said the focus should be on introducing a production subsidy, arguing that such a policy could encourage more investors to establish refineries in Nigeria because they would seek to benefit from the incentive.

He also argued that corruption in the fuel importation system could be tackled quickly if the president was determined to end the practice.

“It takes one day to fight corruption. Trust me. You see, it’s the head. If the head is a thief and shows I want to steal, then everybody says, yeah, our mind is bad. If the head is not a thief and says, look, I’m not going to steal, then nobody will steal,” Amaechi said.

Using a hypothetical example involving Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, Amaechi said a president who openly declares that those involved in corrupt fuel-importation practices would face prosecution could deter such activities.

“Let’s assume Obi becomes president. Then he says, today, anybody involved in the corruption of the importation of fuel will be sent to jail. And they know he’s serious. Nobody will steal,” he said.

Amaechi’s comments come amid continuing debate over Nigeria’s petrol pricing, domestic refining capacity, fuel importation and the impact of the removal of petrol subsidy. The former Rivers State governor has previously advocated policies aimed at strengthening local refining and reducing the country’s dependence on imported petroleum products.