The independent marketers branch of the National Union of Petroleum Marketers and Natural Gas Workers has appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the management of Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited to expedite action on the turnaround of the nation’s refineries.
This appeal was made by its chairman, Comrade Oluleye Olayemi, on Friday while fielding questions from reporters shortly after he was re-elected for a second term.
Oluleye noted that the turnaround of the refineries would help to reduce the hardship being faced by the fuel subsidy removal among the citizens.
He, however, disagreed with former President Olusegun Obasanjo who was reported to have said the nation’s refineries might never work. He described the statement of the former President as appalling.
He said although there might be corruption in the system or process involved, with political will and sincerity, the government could see the turnaround of the refineries.
He said: “The branch is in support of the position of the Nigerian Labour and NUPENG National Executive Council on the deregulation policy of the oil and gas industry.
“While the subsidy removal can be said to be the right decision, the timing could have been deferred till the refineries become functional.
“The government should have built refineries in phases across the oil-producing states and gradually remove the subsidy. We are badly affected by deregulation. We appeal to the government that they should expedite action on the refineries’ turnaround and maintenance of our refineries.
“We are badly affected as many marketers are not loading and that affected our members who could not attend. Without renovation of the depot, many people will be jobless.”
The PUNCH
