From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi; Okey Sampson, Umuahia; Femi Folarin, Yenagoa; George Onyejiuwa, Owerri; Tony John, Port Harcourt and Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
Nigerians are experiencing another nightmare, following the perennial fuel scarcity that is grinding the country to a halt. Some people have suggested on how to end this scourge, which has become both a national and an international embarrassment.
Let us start refining fuel in this country – Dr Christopher IIor, lecturer; Benue
The issue of perennial fuel scarcity is self inflicted. I said this because everyone believes we have the crude and sometimes back, we had some refineries that were working and servicing parts of the country. Then along the way, they stopped and we don’t know why.
If we can be productive, all these scarcity will be history. What is stopping us from refining our own fuel when we have the crude? A farmer who has seedlings and cannot plant them is inviting hunger in the nearest future. So, in the same manner, if we don’t start refining our own fuel, this scarcity will not end. So no matter how small, let us start refining fuel in this country to end the perennial scarcity.
Let’s go back to subsidy regime – Solomon Agav, politician; Benue
The blame for this fuel shortage goes totally to the government. In making decisions, before you arrive at the end, it is expected that you consult with the citizens who are the final consumers.
I will suggest that the government should return the fuel subsidy and let us go back to the way were. During Buhari’s administration, someone with Corolla X car could fill the tank with N10, 000 but today N15, 000 gives you just about N20 litres of fuel. What is happening now is that more individuals are now embezzling the subsidy and making the masses poorer.
We should develop our refineries, produce our fuel – Debby Ogbise, teacher; Benue
One thing we should do is to think of what previous governments were doing that prevented this scarcity in the past. It wasn’t this bad. We need to look at the strategies; the subsidies among others. This government may have its reasons for removing the subsidy but it’s not working. So, I advise that we go back to Goodluck Jonathan era and adopt whatever strategy they used.
For now, their plan isn’t working, they are suffering people. Many have parked their cars because of the high cost of fuel. I also suggest we refine our fuel here. We have the crude oil, let’s develop our refineries and produce the fuel instead of taking the crude outside and then bring it back again as refined. You are buying your own products. It’s crazy. We must also look into illegal oil bunkering with view of nipping it in the bud.
Let other players be allowed to bring in fuel – Dr Tarila Amakoro, university don; Bayelsa
It’s difficult to comprehend, but I think NNPC is overwhelmed and cannot really meet the fuel needs of Nigerians. If we are sincere that subsidy was really removed, then there should be enough money to import it. I had never been a fan of monopolising import of fuel.
Let other major players like Total and others be allowed to bring in products and sell at their own rates.
I heard some states buy as high as N2, 000 per litre now. Monopolising the market has also weakened the regulatory job of pricing initially done by PPRA.
We have always had promises of our refineries starting operations soon and the soon never ends.
Apart from international relations in terms of our crude, we must intentionally allocate a portion of our daily crude output to local refining purposes where the likes of Dangote and other upcoming modular refineries must have daily allocations to be refined and circulated. The NNPC should invest more widely in distributed tank farms for storage against the rainy day, while they leave importation to other players and do more licensing and regulating.
We keep importing since we don’t have refineries – Brata Igiran, banker; Bayelsa
Other countries are currently servicing and overhauling their refineries and this is done periodically. We can’t give what we don’t have. We don’t have refineries and the local industries are heavily dependent on foreign imports. We have no choice, we will endure.
Government should fix our refineries – Rev Michael Igu Egbe, clergyman; Abia
The federal government should do everything humanly possible to ensure it does no longer import fuel, which is the reason for this perennial shortage of the product.
It should allow the nation’s refineries to work, the ones that are not good should be repaired to enable petroleum products flood filling stations and at less price.
Repair our refineries – Kalu Uke, driver; Abia
It is unfortunate that at this point of the nation’s development she is still importing fuel with its attendant high cost. We were told that before the end of last year, the Port Harcourt refinery will be repaired and put to use. But up to this moment, nothing has happened and this is the major cause of the fuel scarcity.
Government should get our refineries working – Celestine Kanu, retired civil servant; Abia
The major cause of the perennial shortage of fuel in the country is because it is imported. If our refineries were working, there wouldn’t have been any reason for the scarcity. I don’t know what is holding the Dangote refinery commissioned since last year from working. If government refineries are not yet ready, the Dangote refinery should be allowed to work to full capacity to stop this perennial fuel shortage.
Government should repair our refineries – Ekeh Chibuike, businessman; Imo
The only panacea for the perennial fuel scarcity is for the government to repair the refineries so that fuel will be locally refined. Is not a shame that a country which is one of the biggest exporters of crude oil cannot refine crude oil for local consumption?
Local production is the key – Dr Harold Wilson Onumo, medical doctor; Imo
The nation’s refineries should be repaired. Besides, President Bola Tinubu had promised that the Port Harcourt refinery would commence production and that promise was made last year. But that has not happened. So, if this perennial scarcity is to stop, local production is the key because even most of the countries where we import refined petroleum products don’t have crude oil.
Give licenses for modular refineries to private companies – Kingsley Chisom, businessman; Imo
The federal government must put the local refineries in order if this perennial scarcity of fuel is to stop. Again, I think that the federal government should give licenses for modular refineries to private companies who are interested. They will not only refine but can also export the surplus to neighbouring countries.
Government should check smuggling of petrol to neighbouring countries – Comrade Joel Akinola, chairman, Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP); Ekiti
The federal government should deal with corruption in the oil sector. It should get rid of corruption in all the departments that have to do with the production, distribution and sale of petrol. More private investments in the oil industry should be encouraged. Government should check smuggling of petrol to neighbouring countries and sanction culprits.
The government knows what to do – Chief Omuba Harry, traditional ruler; Rivers
It is a great disappointment to note that even though fuel subsidy has been removed, and the citizens thought they would have good service delivery, the opposite has become what we are having.
The federal government is supposed to know that fuel is the heart of every business. When the fuel subsidy was removed, Nigerians were hoping for a better service delivery, but, the reverse is the case. It is a great disappointment. It is only the federal government that knows how it would address the problem.
Only if government is determined – Jackson Ojo, security consultant; Rivers
The perennial fuel scarcity in the country can only be addressed when the federal government is willing and determined to address it.
Freedom of Information Bill has been passed to law. Yet, nobody is giving Nigerians information about the real state of the petroleum industry. Everything is done in maximum secrecy. That is why we are falling into this fuel scarcity.