Buhari Should Suspend Fuel Subsidy Removal, Declare Marketers, What Do You Have To Say ?

 I will describe the debate between NUPENG, PENGASSAN  and IPMAN as a permutation for a usual hide-and-seek regime; I will call it a pretentious callus for these bodies to imagine their position on the issue of subsidy; it is a shameless act, and even more saddened that most organisation are requesting for years of experience before employment for efficient output, but here we are with an organisation like NUPENG that was established. 1977 and IPMAN have launched just a year after; in 1978, over 40 years can not present the government with a policy framework that could reprogram our petroleum industry ssystem'scollapse. According to this news by PUNCH, I want to believe that these organisations lack moral justification to debate the issue of the subsidy regime because, directly or indirectly, they are the benefits of the scam, according to Muhammadu Sanusi, the former CBN  Governor.

Nigerians, let your voice be heard by Itoro Uwah

SPEAK-UP

You may recall that there is an ongoing debate between the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria IPMAN and The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers NUPENG about subsidy removalThe Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers hNUPENG'sthat NUPENG'sonal Executive Council is going to come out with NUPENG's position on the ongoing debate over the planned removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, after its NEC meeting.

However, another major union in the sector – the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, kicked against subsidy removal, stressing that the move should be suspended because the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), did not provide the required factors for subsidy removal.NUPENG and IPMAN were reacting to the position of their sister union -the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, as they spoke with our correspondent in separate telephone conversations.

Late last month, PENGASSAN called on the Federal Government to Nigeria'sidisNigeria'sl and ensure the speedy rehabilitation of Nigeria's refineries. PENGASSAN's President, Festus Osifo, had made the call while speaking with journalists at the National Executive Council association meeting in Abuja.

Asked whether PENGASSAN supported fuel subsidy removal in the absence of any functional domestic refinery, Osifo replied, "Yes!"

But when contacted for the position of NUPENG on the subject, its National President, Williams Akporeha, said the union's NEC would also have to meet, as he was quick to state that the association aligned with the Nigeria Labour Congress on the subsidy debate. Reacting to PENGASSAN's position on subsidy removal, Akporeha said, "He (Osifo) took that decision after his NEC meeting. So we will also hold our NEC meeting to develop our own position.

"However, our position is still the same as that of the NLC. We don't have a separate position from NLC. But again, my NEC will give further directives on that."

Although the NUPENG president did not state when his executive council would meet, he insisted that the union would only make an official position public once the meeting holds.

When told that some officials of the NLC recently opposed the removal of subsidy, whereas many groups had intensified calls for a halt in the regime, Akporeha replied, "I just said something earlier, and I will repeat it. The position of the NLC has always been NUPENG's position. We don't have different positions on this matter. But we will still hold our NEC meeting on this issue." Also speaking on the issue, the National Public Relations Officer, IPMAN Chief Ukadike Chinedu, stated that though the association applauded Buhari for planning to sustain subsidies till he handed over, his (Buhari) regime did not provide the factors required for subsidy removal.

"IPMAN commends the administration of President Buhari for considering not removing fuel subsidy before handing over on May 29, 2023. As the National PRO of IPMAN, we support that the current administration should not remove subsidies. This is because the factors that should necessitate the removal of allowances have yet to be put in place by this outgoing administration. Our obsolete refineries should work, and our pipelines should be repaired to move petroleum products from riverine areas to dry lands.

"From there, marketers can load products as quickly as possible to their filling stations without travelling long distances. These factors will aid the smooth transition to a no-subsidy regime," Ukadike stated.

He explained that when refineries work, and the Dangote Refinery comes on stream, it would checkmate the importation of petroleum products and guide against exorbitant prices.

"As independent petroleum marketers, we are the ones who feel the impact on the masses most. So the haste for subsidy removal by the outgoing administration will cause unnecessary hardship and tough times for the incoming administration. So our position as IPMAN is that the issue of subsidy removal should be suspended, and the incoming administration should be allowed to handle it," he stated.

Ukadike said IPMAN had earlier discussed with the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, as marketers made it clear that "he (Tinubu) should ensure the provision of factors that will necessitate a smooth transition to the no-subsidy regime."

The IPMAN official added, "We agreed that it must be implemented before the subsidy is removed. Also, his excellency, represented by Adams Oshiomhole, agreed with us and assured us that the incoming administration will look at" it.” On the provision of palliatives to cushion the impact of subsidy removal, he stated that this was not the main problem of the market"s.

“We acknowledge the issue of palliatives by the Federal Government, but it is not our main problem. Our main problem is for the government to ensure that the refineries are working and the pipelines are resto" ed,” Ukadike stated.


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