By Bimbola Oyesola
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) at the weekend issued a 24-hour ultimatum to petroleum products marketers hoarding fuels to revert to the official depots price of N148.77 for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), or face the consequences.
NUPENG in a statement alleged unscrupulous marketers were selling PMS from the depots at prices far above the official rate aimed at forcing illegal increases in the pump price and compound the woes of the masses in the midst of fuel scarcity .
The statement signed by the union’s president and general secretary, William Akporeha and Afolabi Olawale, respectively, among others, threatened to name and shame the affected marketers, if they continued with their illegal action.
“Our attention and empathy have been drawn to the harrowing experiences and pains of the general public due to the exploitative and unscrupulous activities and tendencies of petroleum products marketers who taking advantage of the seeming gaps and teething challenges in the implementation of Petroleum Industry Act to enrich themselves at the expense of the country and the people,” the statement read.
The union said it is an undeniable fact that the PMS is still under subsidy regime, adding that NUPENG find it disheartening and worrisome that these unscrupulous marketers are selling PMS from the depots at prices far above the official rate.
“We are giving these marketers 24 hours with effect from midnight of Sunday, February 27, 2022, to revert to official rate of N148.77 or we shall name and shame them as public enemies, aside from other sanctions,” the union threatened.
It noted that it was also disturbing that even though AGO and DPK were deregulated, there must be some measure of checks and control over the prices, otherwise the entire productive activities would be grounded.
The leadership stated that NUPENG have it on good authority that it is one Marketer that determines and fixes prices of these products for other Marketers to adopt leaving all consumers (domestic and industrial) at their mercy.
The union added, “This unsavory situation is evidently clear from the cries of the airlines operators, road transport operators, factories owners and private homes and offices. The Union cannot continue to watch as some cabals keep on exploiting the people and the nation.
“We implore the general public to bear with us in whatever actions we deemed necessary against these exploiters.
“Painfully, we noticed the helplessness of the NNPC in this in view of the implementation of the act and also noted that these marketers are taking advantage of the newness of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority to rip off Nigerians.”
The union lamented that the nation and the people are bleeding and in the absence of any decisive institutional intervention, it has decided to once again step up in the defense of the people, the nation and the industry.
“We are also by this press release directing all our officials in all our zones to start compiling lists of petrol stations that are in habit of hoarding products during the day and selling at night at exorbitant rates for possible sanctions.
“These also include petroleum products depots that may want to be hoarding products because of our decision on this matter,” the statement said.