PENGASSAN Seeks Revocation Of Recalcitrant Petrol Stations Licenses

THE Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) says there is no basis for the current scarcity and astronomical increase in price of petrol across the country.

Nigerians have been experiencing acute scarcity of petrol since last year, with motorists spending many hours on long queues at filling stations. Marketers, particularly the independent ones, have also been jacking up prices arbitrarily. Independent marketers are selling a litre of the product, which cost N169 across most filling stations in the corresponding period of last year, for between N280 and N450. Major marketers still sell a litre for between N184 and N200.

The PENGASSAN president, Festus Osifo, and its Secretary General, Lumumba Okugbawa, in a statement on Monday, January 30, 2022, expressed concerns over the hardship that Nigerians are being subjected to as a result of the scarcity and price increase.

The statement said that data made available to the union showed that the country has petrol sufficiency for, at least, 30 days.

“We understand that the parameters imputed into the old Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), and now Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) template has since changed.

“This is because of some economic vagaries like exchange rate fluctuation, vessel hiring cost and other logistics.

“As a result, PENGASSAN insists there is no sufficient justification for petrol to be selling for such highly inflated price, thereby subjecting the masses to further difficulties,“ the duo said.

They urged the management of NMDPRA to compel all marketers and retailers to make the products available at the approved price of N194 per litre.

Both leaders also called on the management to immediately mobilise its staff members in various locations across the country to monitor compliance.

They also urged the management to revoke the licences of any marketer who did not comply to serve as a deterrent.

“Should this collusion go unchecked, we will not hesitate to partner with other stakeholders in ensuring that Nigerians are not further exploited,“ they warned.