NUPENG blames security operatives, others for fuel scarcity

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) have blamed security operatives for the present acute fuel scarcity in the country.

According to NUPENG, security operatives who should have been deployed to fight Boko Haram, kidnapping and armed robbery that are making life unbearable for Nigerians are now working at filling stations thus causing confusion there.

National President of NUPENG, Comrade Igwe Achese who made this disclosure also asked the Federal Government (FG) to redeploy the security operatives to go and fight crime and criminality that have become very rampant in the country.

A statement from the union quoted Achese as having made the disclosure in Port Harcourt on Thursday at the end of the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of NUPENG.

He also said that security challenges on oil pipelines and on the movement of fuel from one state to another are equally contributing to the fuel scarcity.

Achese also blamed the refusal of FG to carry out Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) on the nation's four refineries for the past 16 years for contributing to the fuel scarcity.

He also identified fraudulent acts on how the subsidy is being managed in the country as contributory factor to the scarcity, pointing out that NUPENG would resist its removal if it is done without TAM on the refineries.

Achese did not also spare NNPC for contributing to the fuel scarcity saying that about 80 percent of petroleum products are being imported by the company with its attendant bureaucracy adding that "the Treasury Single Account is not in the interest of Nigerians."

Continuing, Achese lamented that the exchange rate of dollar to naira is still high adding that "the political will we handed over to this government is not to afflict Nigerians with hardship."

In the 10-point communique, Achese said despite these challenges, the FG should flood the market with petroleum products to arrest the current prevalent fuel scarcity in the country especially at this festive period.

NUPENG also called on the FG to as a matter of urgency construct, rehabilitate and maintain roads in Nigeria especially those in the southern states which are now death traps.

On the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) which has been at the National Assembly for many years, he stated that NUPENG "will strongly resist any attempt by government to pass a PIB that will not absolutely check corruption, address lack of transparency, accountability and good governance as these are the bane of the industry."