Fuel scarcity: Oil marketers, NNPC responsible – NUPENG

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers have blamed the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and oil marketers for the persistent fuel scarcity currently being experience in the country.

In a statement signed by its President, Dr. Igwe Achese, alleged that the persistent fuel scarcity was as a result of the connivance between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and oil marketers, saying “they were collaborating to bring untold hardship to Nigerians”

He pointed out that the union had envisaged the prolonged scarcity of petroleum products and had called for a stakeholders’ meeting of all bodies to brainstorm and proffer solutions on the challenge, but its efforts were futile.

The NUPENG president explained that all efforts to convince the Federal Government and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, to organise a round-table discussion to proffer solutions to the scourge were met with a brick wall.

He said contrary to the accusations that members of NUPENG were diverting fuel meant for the country to other areas, “We have done our own investigations, none of the members were found guilty of any fuel diversion at any point in time. So when people make accusations, they must also provide facts”

Achese also disclosed that its members had not stopped hauling petroleum products to their destinations from the depots.

Following the persistent fuel scarcity, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu had ordered the deployment of employees of the NNPC in filling stations across the country for effective monitoring of the distribution system, saying the move was in a bid to ensure the total eradication of queues from fuel stations across the country.

Kachikwu was quoted to have said at an emergency meeting with senior staff of the corporation that although there were a number of challenges in the supply and distribution system that hampered efficient distribution of products across the country, it was time for the NNPC to rise above the challenges by ensuring that the special intervention supplies were not diverted or hoarded.