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According to Ibifiri Bobmanuel, the President of the Rivers Entrepreneur and Investors' Forum (REIF), the actions of the Rivers State Government and certain local governments in the state were responsible for the relocation of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery from Rivers State to Lagos State.
Bobmanuel revealed that the forum had engaged with the management of the Dangote Group and had also written to the federal government, urging them not to move the refineries to Lagos.
However, it was discovered that the Rivers State Government and the local governments where the refineries were intended to be located, namely Okrika and Eleme, had placed significant demands on the Dangote Group. These demands ultimately led the group to relocate the refineries to Lagos. Bobmanuel expressed disappointment with this turn of events, stating, "The Dangote refinery was to be situated in Rivers State and later they made a U-turn and went to Lagos, and we were very miffed by the whole approach."
Efforts were made by the REIF to communicate with the Dangote Group through letters, as well as with the Federal Government, and a meeting was even held. However, the pushback and demands from the state government at that time left the Dangote Group with no choice but to seek a location where they felt more welcome.
Bobmanuel emphasized the need for the Rivers State Government, local governments, and communities to understand how to effectively negotiate with business owners to attract investments. He highlighted the importance of speaking the language of businesses and creating an environment conducive to their growth. He also pointed out the significant impact the refinery would have had on the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of Rivers State had it been situated there.
Bobmanuel concluded by urging the incoming government to recognize the importance of private sector participation in governance in the state and to take necessary steps to foster a favorable business climate.
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