A Coalition of Concerned Northern Forum, a conglomeration of over 25 Civil Society Organisations of Northern extraction both at home and diaspora, has condemned the current persistent scarcity of petroleum products across the nation.
Spokesperson of the Forum, Mr. Abdulsalam Kazeem, in a statement issued to pressmen on Sunday in Kaduna, also said the scarcity was aimed at embarrassing President Buhari’s administration by its enemies and unpatriotic elements in the country.
He said that since 2015, those who headed as Group Managing Directors of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) have helped President Buhari’s administration greatly in ensuring that all petroleum products met the nation’s required standard and also ensured no scarcity and queues in filling stations even during festivities.
“History can’t judge the current leadership of NNPC fairly, because, out of eight years, the current administration has spent over six years without fuel scarcity and queues in our feeling stations.
“Having less than two years for President Buhari to go, strangely, fuel scarcity has surfaced and importation of adulterated PMS which has never happened in the history of our country pointed towards discrediting the record of Mr President and the Hon. Minister of Petroleum,” he said.
Kazeem alleged that NNPC’s quality inspection unit did not conduct proper test before the products were discharged.
“The units are saddled with the responsibilities of ensuring the products are not above our required standard, they have up till date equipment at their disposal with adequate funding for such tasks,” he added.
“The mistake made by NNPC under the current management has caused Nigeria a lot as a nation, for instance, the huge cost to spend in mopping up and sanitising the adulterated fuel amidst scarce resources before we can have access to the new products.
“The adulterated products have cost damage to many automobiles, generator’s, machines and other sundry equipment of citizens nationwide,” he lamented.
Kazeem called the government to provide means and ways in compensating Nigerians who suffered damage of their automobiles and equipment from the adulterated fuel.
He also called on NNPC’s management to make comprehensive list of those involved in the ‘National scandal and embarrassment’ for appropriate sanctions.
“If our demands are not met in the next three working days, we shall occupy all NNPC zonal offices and it’s subsidiaries across our region and the Fct, it is not a threat, we shall follow up with full action after the expiration of our ultimatum and this will serve as litmus test on the part of Government on their fight against corruption and indiscipline”, Kazeem said.
