*Explains persistent fuel queues, scarcity
Mkpoikana Udoma
18 February 2018, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt — As fuel scarcity and price hike persist in cities across the country, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN has urged members of the public to demand accountability from their elected political leaders.
PENGASSAN while reacting to Dr. Ibe Kachikwu’s directives to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, to clear fuel queues by Sunday, said Nigerians have been decieved by the same rhetoric since last year, and wondered why the Federal Government was not keen on fixing the nation’s refineries for optimal operation.
Speaking, the Zonal Chairman of PENGASSAN, Port Harcourt Zone, Azubuike M. Azubuike, while explaining the persistent fuel queues, price hike and scarcity being experienced in the country over the last three months, regretted that the government has refused to be honest and accountable to the citizens.
Azubuike explained that due to the logistics involved in fuel importation, the landing cost of fuel was between N160 and N180 per litre, adding that the mother vessels that bring products into the country do not even berth in the nation’s territorial waters.
He stated that it was impossible for fuel to be sold at N145per litre as the private importers, IPMAN, were not currently importing products and even if they do, cannot sell at N145 while the landing cost was above N160 per litre. He said currently, only NNPC was importing products and they lack the capacity to import adequate products for the country.
“This same directive to end fuel scarcity was given in December 2017, in January 2018 and this same directive was issued again. Even the Senate also gave their own directive and now in February, the Minister is giving the same directive again.
“But then, giving directive is one thing, availability of products is another thing. You don’t hoard what is not available. Why are we deceiving ourselves?
“Truth is that products are not available, coupled with our refineries not working. Let me tell you what Nigerians may not even know in this fuel racketeering, do you know that the mother vessels do not even berth in Nigeria?
“It is very unfortunate. Some mother vessels berth in Port Novo, and other vessels are used to bring products into Nigeria thereby increasing the landing cost which affects the pump price per litre, these are the issues.
“It is unfortunate that the government does not tell Nigerians the truth, they have kept on lying to the people. They will not tell us how much NIMASA and NPA are taking, they will not tell us why the landing cost of PMS is between N160 and N180 per litre.
“This is the longest period of fuel scarcity in the history of this country. What is most worrisome is that anybody who tries to question the government is regarded as corrupt, but the question is, are we really fighting corruption?” Azubuike queried.
Asked why a reputable union lilke PENGASSAN cannot lead from the front in demanding accountablility and transparency from the government, Azubuike said, “For us as a union, we have engaged, we have written, we have tried our best. I can tell you that if by tomorrow we decide to act since nobdoy is listening, the next minute the masses will be against us.
“The same masses that will say we are not doing enough, will still be the people to say we are looking for bribe and settlement. It is unfortunate but this is the country we have find ourselves.
“The government understands these, and is using it as a good tool because they know that the masses are gullible and docile. So they’ll readily use it against anyone that wants to positively engage them to live up to their responsibility.”