Host Communities of Nigeria producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM) has berated the International Oil Companies (IOCs) and others for allegedly frustrating the Dangote Refinery from accessing crude oil from them for local refining and production.
It called on the federal government to end the incessant fuel scarcity in the country.
HOSTCOM’s president, High Chief Benjamin Tamaranebi, made the call Friday at the Asokoro residence of the leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, during a solidarity visit to the elder statesman by critical stakeholders from the region.
Chief Tamaranebi lamented that as a result of scarcity of fuel supply, a litre of PMS “is now sold for N2, 000 in most parts of the Niger Delta where the crude is explored, exploited and exported outside the country.
The IOCs, he said, “are not helping matter by refusing to sell crude to Dangote Refinery which has 650, 000 litres capacity per day.”
He said, “Our visit to the residence of our leader and father in the Niger Delta Region today is to voice out our displeasure to the federal government, and in particular, publicly owned key players in the oil sector on the endless fuel scarcity in the country.
“It is a sad commentary to state here that a country like Nigeria, an oil-producing nation, the second largest oil-producer in Africa, that has four refineries, is still suffering from endless fuel scarcity and is bent on importation of refined petroleum products for over 20 years.
“We are aware that the current fuel scarcity in some parts of the country is caused by marketers’ refusal to import petrol into the country due to the huge debt issue. It is alleged that NNPC owes marketers huge sums of money and as such, they can no longer continue to import, while the same NNPCL is coming to celebrate gains.
“We are here today to appeal through you to call on the federal government, ably led by our dear president, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to have a re-think.
“Last Saturday, I bought a litre of fuel at Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, at N1, 200, while I was reliably told that at the creeks in Ekeremor LGA, Southern Ijaw LGA, down to other riverine communities they are buying at the rate of N2, 000 per litre. This is indeed very worrisome.”
He said further, “We, therefore, call on the government to ensure that the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna Refineries are fixed immediately and made to work optimally.
“We are also calling on the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, compel the international oil companies operating in our Niger Delta to begin the sale of crude oil to Dangote Refinery and other local refineries in Naira so as to reduce and possibly eliminate the importation of finished petroleum products into Nigeria.
“With the Nigerian refineries producing locally, the price of petrol will reduce, which will ultimately reduce inflation and hardship in the country, so that prices of commodities and staple foods like fufu, rice, garri, etc, can come down.”
In his remarks, Chief Clark said President Bola Tinubu should not be blamed for the removal of fuel subsidies since the budgetary provision for it ended in June 2023.
He, however, advised the government to find practical means of alleviating poverty the “fuel subsidy removal is inflicting on many Nigerians.”
