From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Group under umbrella of Energy Consumers Rights Association (ECORA) has described the current fuel scarcity in some parts of the country as clearly an act of sabotage, apparently aimed at frustrating efforts of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to ensure adequate supply .
According to the group, information gathered revealed that the problem of fuel scarcity, until recently considered a thing of the past, reared its ugly head again barely few months to the country’s general elections.
“Some of our members sent to some states for on-the-spot assessment of the fuel supply situation at selected filling stations , discovered that most filling stations in rural areas have fuel ,while in state capitals, there are some places without queues and others with queues, an evidence that , it’s a case of clear sabotage”. The group stated.
The group, which made this known in a press statement jointly signed by Dr.Mustapha Ahmed Bala
President and Mrs Mary John Awe
Secretary General, the Energy Consumers Rights group commended the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC limited Mele Kyari for not bowing to antics of petroleum products marketers, who have allegedly adjusted upward the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit(PMS) also called petrol.
While praising the national oil company for maintaining the pump price, the group said, “Those who have increased Pump Price are all scrupulous profiteers,who don’t care about the economic implications on consumers “.
On issue of the discovery of oil in northern Nigeria ,the Group lauded Kyari for breaking the jinx of more than five decades of exploration without success, noting, “What appears impossible has finally been made possible” .
The statement further reads, “The discovery of oil in commercial quantity and subsequent exploration of the oil in Bauchi, Gombe and Nasarawa states respectively will no doubt lead to increased job opportunities; industrial growth and emergence of new refineries.
“As group of consumers , we happy to be associated with NNPC limited because, of the short and long term economic implications, which suffices to say, “The country can now generate more revenues from oil for sustainable growth and development.”
The group however raised the alarm, saying,”Since the information about discovery of oil in northern parts of the country,it observed some persons have started undermining Kyari for no just reasons .
“We expect these people to know that rather than making attempts to undermine Kyari’s proactive efforts to rescue our oil sector, such should acknowledge him for two things that distinct him from past Chief Executives of NNPC; First, his frantic efforts to clamp down on oil thieves and secondly, the discovery of oil in northern Nigeria .
“It is for these reasons that we are asking Kyari to remain focused and concentrate on the reforms to ensure that the masses feel the positive impact of Nigeria’s oil wealth”.
