Independent marketers branch of the National Union of Petroleum Marketers and Natural Gas Workers has charged President Bola Tinubu and the management of Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited to expedite action on the turnaround of the nation’s refineries.
The Independent marketers, appealing on Friday, September 8 through its chairman, Comrade Oluleye Olayemi, during a press briefing with reporters.
Notjng that the turn around of the refineries would help to reduce the hardship being faced by the fuel subsidy removal among the citizens, Oluleye rebuffed former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s comment.
The Leadingreporters had earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu chided former President Olusegun Obasanjo who said that the nation’s refineries might never work.
Describing Obasanjo’s statement 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.”
