The removal of oil subsidy from day one of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, event watchers insist it is a slap in the face, following the lingering fuel scarcity that appears to have defied a lasting solution. Few months back, to the surprise of many, long queues resurfaced at filling stations across the country, as motorists struggled to purchase the product.
In a belated intervention, the federal government, through the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, said it is working towards resolving the issue, which included flooding on the trucking route and unavoidable logistical challenges owing to weather concerns which temporarily disrupted the distribution chain. Meanwhile, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), which imports nearly all the petrol that comes into Nigeria, had earlier said logistics challenges and flooding caused the fuel queues witnessed in several parts of the country.
Unfortunately, the queues at the filling stations have persisted, while observers are of the thought that the NNPCL, allegedly enmeshed in all kinds of corrupt practices is to be blamed for the cause of the scarcity, condemning Nigerians to more hardship. The biting scarcity has become more acute, with fuel queues on a scale not seen in recent times, and the product selling for more than N1,000 per litre in some places. The scarcity led to disruption of commercial and social activities in the country. Many filling stations shut down their operations owing to the severe shortage of PMS.
Although the NNPCL had said the shortages were caused by “distribution” challenges, it did not specify the cause of the current spike, which had lingered on for several weeks. NNPCL has since denied reports that it was indebted to international oil traders to the tune of $6.8 billion and that it had not remitted revenues to the Federation Account since January, among other allegations. In several parts of the country, a 10-litre container of petrol sold for as high as N12,000 on the black market, while private filling station owners sold for between N700 and N1,050 per litre, depending on location.
However, the few NNPC mega stations still sold for N617, but with queues stretching several kilometres.The situation led to the skyrocketing of transport fares, with the doubling of rates in many routes across the nation. The activities of NNPCL have been at an all time low. Its practices have remained shrouded in secrecy with little or no explanation to convince Nigerians that it’s doing something reasonable to ameliorate the ugly situation. There are obvious signs that the oil subsidy hitherto removed has been brought back through the back door yet, the petroleum products are expensive and not even enough to serve the generality of Nigerians.
The discrepancies in prices at the filling stations, beyond the approved pump prices, again has become a new normal. The return of long queues at filling stations paint a grim picture about the capacity of NNPCL to tackle the challenge of fuel supply across the country. Over time, the people have been promised that the Port Harcourt Refinery will resume operations, yet the date announced continues to be shifted, suggesting that Nigerians have to wait a bit longer for the refinery to come on stream. A responsive government, given the state of the nation, will not allow the return of queues at the filling stations; the citizens are suffering because of poor management of resources by the political class.
The people are now at the mercy of the fuel vendors who sell at exorbitant prices, not to mention food inflation that is practically impoverishing the citizenry. It would be a disservice going forward for the country to continue the old tales which end up in self-denials and give the impression that the government derives joy in seeing Nigerians suffering. The refinery must work since the government seems to be economical with the truth when it reintroduced oil subsidy earlier removed by executive fiat without recourse to the ripple effects that would follow. The size of Nigeria and the importance of petroleum products at this time cannot be left in the hands of the few cabal who, over the years, have milked the country dry.
Time has come for a level playing field for all that have shown interest in oil refining business including, the Dangote Group and others who have the capacity to invest in the sector. The government’s over dependence on oil is not adding up, instead the country has succeeded in enriching few individuals who are not allowing the people to breathe. Pushing Nigerians to take to the street again, is most uncharitable. The administration is still too young to be grappling with myriad of protests, occasioned by bad governance and insensitivity towards issues that affect the common man. The crawling economy should not be rendered prostrate, going forward.
The government should beware of avoidable mistakes and high handedness, but listen to the voice of reason. Let there be fuel for all Nigerians. The government should be sensitive to the plights of the people. The voice of the people is the voice of God. It must be taken into account at all times. NNPCL at this time must work for the people. It is the property of all Nigerians and will remain so. Those who are there are holding it in trust and are not supposed to work against the society that offered them the opportunity to serve the rest of us. The refineries must work. Enough of excuses by government!
