Coalition for Good Governance Urges President Tinubu to End Fuel Importation, Demands Dangote Announce Petrol Price, Opposes Campaign of Calumny Against NNPCL
A civil society group known as the Coalition for Good Governance has said that it is disgraceful that Nigeria as the largest producer of oil and gas in Africa lacks functional refineries, saying the country has been battling with fuel scarcity since 1976.
It however said that it was encouraged by the recent developments, particularly the progress of the Dangote Refinery and the move by President Tinubu to revitalize the ailing refineries, it hope will bring an end to importation of petrol and the drain on the nation’s scarce foreign resources.
The Convener of the group, Nelson Ekujumi expressed these views at a world press conference held at the Airport Hotel in Ikeja area of Lagos.
He lamented that Nigeria though blessed as the 15th largest producer of crude oil and the largest in Africa adding sabotage, mismanagement and corruption has made daily crude oil production dwindled.
Acccording to him, from OPEC quota of 2.3 million barrels per day, the nation now struggle to produce around 1.4 million barrels per day, largely due to oil theft and pipeline vandalism.
On the recent smear campaigns against the NNPCL and its leadership under the Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, Ekujumi said it was orchestrated to undermine her credibility and makes it look bad before Nigerians.
Ekujumi also applauded President Tinubu’s directive to the NNPCL to supply crude oil to Dangote and other local refineries in the midst of its production challenges and upfront contractual obligations, as well as the sales of the crude oil to the refinery in Naira.
The group however demanded that the Dangote Refinery disclose the actual cost of PMS production per litre at its refinery for the purpose of transparency and accountability.
Ekujumi explained that while they celebrate the Dangote Refinery as a monumental achievement, they are concerned by the lack of transparency regarding the refinery’s cost of production of PMS per litre.
According to him, Nigerians deserve to know the true cost of the product to ensure fair pricing, transparency and accountability while urging the government to implement alternative logistics solutions in the transportation of the product such as rail and water transportation to improve efficiency.
On security of life and property of Nigerians, the group was of the view that the Nigerian Labour Congress must be cautioned not to politicize such a grave matter with respect to the invitation to its President, Mr. Joe Ajaero.
He insisted that Mr. Ajaero and the NLC must refrain from using the Nigerian workers platform to jeopardize national security but rather cooperate fully with the law enforcement agencies and focus on its mandate to ensure a better welfare for Nigerian workers.
Ajaero according to him has a right proected by law to sue the police and any other security agency if his fundamental human rights has been violated under any circumstances.
Nelson Ekujumi also urged the Nigeria Police Force not to succumb to the campaign of blackmail and calumny against it, but to remain steadfast and professional in the discharge of its statutory duty to maintain law and order.
He concluded saying the group has observed troubling developments that threaten the fabric of the democracy and national security, adding they stand united as Coalition for Good Governance to raise alarm over these threats and call on all well-meaning Nigerians to remain vigilant.
