the Trade Union Congress on Monday approached the
Federal Government to turn out with a more practical
format for deciding the right cost of a liter of petrol in
the nation.
In spite of the fact that the gatherings respected the
lessening of the pump cost from N97 to N87 every
liter, they contended that it was a long way from what
the expense of the item ought to be.
They talked generally as most filling stations still sold
petrol at the old cost of N97 rather than the N87
affirmed on Sunday night by the Minister of Petroleum
Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
The NLC, in an announcement by its General
Secretary, Peter Ozo-Eson , said the lessening was "not
sufficiently profound enough."
It contended that the N10 lessening was not generous
enough as it meant just 10.3 every penny every liter as
against the 33 every penny diminishment in different
nations.
The congress likewise said that the government had
denied Nigerians the full advantages of the falling cost
of unrefined petroleum in the universal business with
the degrading of the naira.
It said, "The lessening in the pump cost of Premium
Motor Spirit from N97 to N87 every liter is a welcome
improvement. However in our estimation, it is not
sufficiently profound enough.
"Preceding this value lessening, government had
significantly degraded the naira, consequently
guaranteeing that the full advantages of falling
unrefined cost are not passed on to Nigerians.
"The N10 value cut means 10.3 every penny decrease
contrasted with 33 every penny value diminishment in
many nations. Case in point, in the United States the
value dipped to under $2 from $3 every gallon."
The NLC likewise said that the value decrease ought to
have originated from the leading group of the
Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, the
body depended with the obligation of settling the costs
of petroleum items.
The work body however engaged transport
administrators to guarantee that Nigerians profited
from the value decrease.
TUC, through its President, Bala Kaigama, likewise
urged the administration to turn out with a more
sensible layout that would be valuable to the citizenry.
It said, "That they have endeavored to be delicate to
the requests of the individuals is sufficient for us to
compliment.
"We however urge them to be more delicate
especially in the region of working out a more sensible
layout. They have begun, the cost is going down, we
require a more practical layout that would make
Nigerians to profit from the effect of the falling oil
costs."
Additionally on Monday, the Nigeria Employers'
Consultative Association said the lessening in the
pump cost of petrol ought to have been joined by the
complete deregulation of the downstream segment of
the oil and gas industry.
Despite the fact that it lauded the audit, it noted that it
was despicable for a principal maker of unrefined
petroleum in Africa to depend on importation of
refined items for utilization by regional standards.
NECA expressed that the opportunity exhibited by the
slide in oil costs ought to be used by the
administration to deregulate the business and privatize
the four legislature refineries.
The relationship, in an announcement by its Director-
General, NECA, Mr. Olusegun Oshinowo, included, "It
is a typical thing for government to weigh monetary
goals against political exigencies in snippets of political
engagement and political process as we are at present
encountering. Government is more prone to accord
need to political exigencies while consigning financial
goals to the foundation, especially if the aftermath of
the monetary objectives will undermine open
impression of the legislature.
"The issue, in any case, is that the legislature is not
confronted with that decision under the current
situation as the economy stands to pick up from the
deregulation approach. We, hence, approach the
administration to do the needful by turning out
strikingly and bravely to advise the Nigerian masses
that it has deregulated the downstream area of the oil
and gas industry."
Shortly after they spoke, the PPPRA announced a
reduction in the ex-depot price of petrol from N81.51
to N77.66 per litre.
The agency said the reduction became necessary
following the reduction in the pump price of fuel.
The agency, in a statement, said, "Consequent upon
this (government's) announcement, the PPPRA, in
exercise of its mandate of determining the pricing
policy and setting benchmark prices of petroleum
products, hereby further announces the new ex-depot
price of PMS as N77.66 per litre.
"In view of the foregoing, oil marketers are hereby
advised to adhere strictly to this new price regime, as
the PPPRA, in conjunction with the Department of
Petroleum Resources shall enforce compliance in
order to ensure that consumers benefit fully from this
new review. In other words, any violation of the
prevailing price regime, shall attract appropriate
sanctions.
"It is therefore our wish to advise Nigerians against any
form of panic-buying, as there are enough products in
all depots across the country. We also wish to assure
Nigerians that the PPPRA, in exercise of its mandate, is
fully committed to ensuring adequate supply and
distribution of petroleum products."
Meanwhile, most major and independent marketers of
petrol did not adjust their pumps to reflect the new
price regime.
From Lagos to the Federal Capital Territory, Oyo to
Ekiti, and Cross River to Plateau states, motorists were
told by fuel station attendants that they were either
waiting for an "official order from appropriate
quarters" or wanted to sell off their old stock first.
In President Goodluck Jonathan's state, Bayelsa; Akwa
Ibom and Cross River states, the product sold for
between N100 and N105 in most filling stations.
When one of our correspondents visited Mobil Filling
Station at Gbagada Lagos, around 2 pm, an officer of
the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ajaja, H.
O, was seen insisting that petrol should be sold at
N87 per litre. But the station attendants said they had
not been given the directive by their head office to
change the price.
At Capital Oil Mega Filling Station on the Lagos-Ibadan
Expressway, one of the attendants said they did not
change their price because they were still selling their
old stock.
The same reasons were given by officials of the two
Oando filling stations on the Lagos Ibadan Expressway.
When contacted on the telephone, the Chairman,
Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers,
Lagos Zone, Tokunbo Korodo, said that compliance
level might not be total in the interim.
According to him, marketers were of the view that
they should have been informed by the government
before making the reduction public.
"If government wants marketers to switch to the new
price with immediate effect, there should be some
provisions for marketers who would make loses by
doing so," he said.
The Executive Secretary, Major Oil Marketers
Association of Nigeria, Femi Olawore, told one of our
correspondents that his members met with the PPPRA
on Monday to chart the path forward.
He, however, said the full position of the association
on the new price would be made public on Tuesday
(today).
Before 6pm on Monday, some filling stations in the
FCT did not sell petrol at N87 per litre as they
explained that they had yet to exhaust their old stock.
But a few, especially those in the city centre, sold at
the new price of N87.
When asked why the price had yet to be reduced by
N10 as announced by the government, a senior
official of an NNPC Mega Station in Abuja said, "we
still have a lot of old stock."
The official, who pleaded not to be named as he was
not authorised to speak on the matter, added, "the
price will come down by tomorrow (Tuesday). You
should not expect it to fall immediately."
Both Conoil and Total filling stations opposite the
headquarters of the NNPC in Abuja however sold at
the new price of N87 per litre.
When contacted, an official in the Media Unit of the
Department of Petroleum Resources, said that
enforcement officers had been sent out to monitor
petrol stations in the FCT.
He said, "It is not surprising that some of them (filling
stations) have yet to comply. But they will have
themselves to blame if our enforcement officers get
them because various teams have been deployed to
monitor compliance by marketers."
In Bayelsa State, a visit to some filling stations in
Yenagoa revealed that apart from the NNPC mega
stations, others sold a litre of petrol above N100.
At Jovero filling station on Isaac Adaka Boro
Expressway, fuel was still being sold for N105 per litre.
A motorist, who gave his name only as Preye, said he
confronted the fuel attendants but was told that that
was what they had been selling.
When our correspondent in the state enquired from
an attendant, he said they had yet to get instruction
from their boss on the new price.
At Ereboter Filling station on Swali Road, motorists
paid N105 per litre even though the price on the
dispensers read N97 .
At Atlanta Oil and Gas at Amarata on Yenagoa-Mbiama
Road, the price was the same.
At Atlanta Oil and Gas at Amarata on Yenagoa-Mbiama
Road, the price was the same.
Like Bayelsa, some filling stations in Uyo, Akwa Ibom
State, were seen selling petrol at N105, N100, and
N97. Such stations are Dan Dollars Oil Nigeria Limited,
N97; Entaco N100, and Bruce Integrated, N105.
Many, such as Ekpo Ekpo Integrated Ventures
Limited, along Atiku Abubakar Road, Uyo, shut down
their operation.
GWT Mega Station also along the same road, Uyo only
dispensed the product with two out of its 12 nozzles.
A manager at Ekpo Ekpo Integrated Ventures, who
refused to disclose his name, said they were waiting
for fresh supply.
The only filling station in the city that had reverted to
the current price was the NNPC Mega Station along
Ikot Ekpene Road.
In Cross River State, the product sold for N97 in
stations operated by major marketers and as high as
N110 in others managed by independent dealers.
An attendant, who spoke on condition of anonymity at
the MRS Filling Station along Mayne Avenue in Calabar,
said they would maintain the status quo until their
old product was exhausted.
When contacted, the state chairman of the
Independent Petroleum Marketers Association, Effiong
Udoh, said marketers could not afford to start selling
at N87 at the moment.
"Most of these marketers got loans to buy the product
at N97, where do you expect them to get the
difference when the Federal Government is not giving
us any form of subsidy?" he asked.
Pump price also remained unchanged in Jos as
attendants claimed that they had yet to be briefed on
the decision by the Federal Government.
A manager at one of the stations, who gave his name
simply as Andrew, said, "We are yet to get any directive
from the marketer on what to do. We are still waiting.
But who will mitigate the cost we will incur since we
still have old stock.
Most filing stations in Osogbo, Osun State also did not
adjust their meters to reflect the new pump price of
N87 .
An official of one of the stations along Odi Olowo
Street, Osogbo, however said that they would soon
begin to sell at the new price.
However, the NNPC mega station along Ring Road in
the city sold a litre of petrol for N87.
In Umuahia, Abia State , many stations sold for N100
per litre. Some others did not open for business.
The reduction was however greeted with a high level
of compliance by most stations in Benin, Edo State.
Among the petrol stations that were seen selling at the
new price were the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation mega filling station along Sapele Road,
Zeeko Oil and Total along Akpakpava Road.
But the Edo State Petroleum Monitoring Committee
sealed off one of the Oando stations in the state capital
for failing to comply with the new pump price.
Reduction not because of elections –PDP
The Peoples Democratic Party has however said the
reduction in the price of petrol is not an attempt by it
to woo voters.
Its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh,
told journalists in Abuja on Monday that the Federal
Government had in 2007 taken a similar action.
Metuh said, "This is not the first time that we have
had decrease in the cost of petrol in this country. You
will recall that when the late President Umaru Yar'Adua
was in office, he reduced the pump price from N75 to
N66. That was not politics. He did it in June 2007.
And there was no election.
"In this particular instance, it has nothing to do with
the election."
APC says slash is deceitful, belated
But the opposition All Progressives Congress described
the reduction as a show of deceit and a belated effort.
The party said while governments of countries which
are not as economically endowed as Nigeria reduced
the pump price of petrol early this month, Nigeria,
was just announcing a price slash that is far below
what is obtainable in other oil producing countries.
It said in a statement by its National Publicity
Secretary, Lai Mohammed, that a 10.3 per cent
slash was "a mere tokenism at a time the price of
crude oil has crashed by about 60 per cent."
The party said the pump price of a litre of petrol
should not be more than N70. It added that at N87
per litre, the Federal Government was forcing
Nigerians to subsidise the massive corruption in the oil
sector by N17 for every litre of petrol.
No comments:
Post a Comment