As prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol increase to N650 per litre in some major cities across the country, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has identified fuel hoarding by marketers as the cause of the price hike.
Another reason the petroleum union adduced for the increase in sales is the biting scarcity of petrol which it described as worsening in the nation’s capital city among others.
Proferring a way forward to the menace, the union asked the Federal Government to revoke the licenses of oil marketers involved in the hoarding of the commodity.
It noted that hoarding of petrol has been causing the crisis in the sector, explaining that the nationwide scarcity of the product has been partly responsible for hike in food prices, transportation fares among other items.
The association maintained that if drastic steps were not taken by the government at the centre, oll marketers would continue to hoard the commodity and sell at prices they seem okay.
While revealing that it monitored how the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) supplied the products to marketers and also following up with its members from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority in various depots and terminals, PENGASSAN promised to ensure that none of its members derails from their core ethical practices.
The union was of the opinion that there was no justification for petrol to sell for N650 per litre since the government has adjusted some parameters in the industry.
It lamented that the masses are being subjected to hardship with the inflated petrol and reiterated its call on the Federal Government to seize the operating licences of oil marketers who hoard fuel to frustrate the masses.
The submissions of PENGASSAN were contained in a statement co-signed by its President, Festus Osifo, and Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa.
According to the association, some overbearing marketers have initiated some means of creating artificial scarcities in order to give way for inflation of the price of petrol uncontrollably.
Since data available to it from its members showed that there was over 30 days petrol sufficiency across the country, the association said there was no justification for the current scarcity and hardship that Nigerians were being subjected to.
The union called on the management of NMDPRA to compel all marketers and retailers to make the products available at approved prices and that they should monitor oil marketers for compliance.
If a retailer is found to have sold beyond the approved price or hoarded the commodity, PENGASSAN advocated for severe sanctions including revocation of licence to serve as a deterrent for others.
Recall that Investors King had reported that the Federal Government had recently announced that it was going to put up a 14-man steering committee on petroleum products to halt the prolonged scarcity of petrol.
It was gathered that the committee, chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari was yet to be functional as the government has not inaugurated it.
