Sunday 24 May 2015

Checkout List of 10 Poorest States in Nigeria

Nigeria – According to the National Bureau of Statistics, Sokoto is the poorest state in Nigeria with an 81.2% poverty rate.

Furthermore, a 2012 information posted on the bureau’s website listed the top 10 poorest states in the country:

10. Zamfara – 70.8%

Formed from the Old Sokoto state in 1996 and located in northwestern Nigeria, Zamfara is governed by Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, a member of the All Nigeria Peoples Party.

Agriculture is the most important occupation of the people of the state, hence its slogan “farming is our pride”

Recently the governor was blasted for the “alarming scope of economic dangers and its potential threat to the economic development of the state,” by the Zamfara Budget Working Group.

9. Kebbi – 72%

Kebbi State is a north-western Nigeria state formed from part of Sokoto State in 1991. It is bordered by Sokoto State,Niger State,Dosso Regionin the Republic of Niger and the nation of Benin.

There isn’t much to be written about the state’s economy but things are looking up. The recently concluded Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport (SABIA), stands out as one of Nigeria’s most sophisticated airports and is expected to boost the state’s economy.

8. Bauchi – 73%

Bauchi is a Northern Nigerian state formed in 1976 when the former North-Eastern Stat ewas broken up.

In Hausa the word Bauchi meansthe land of freedom and tourism. However recent Boko Haram adventures in the area, though few, have driven tourists away from the area.

Last year Gov. Isa Juguda told Arewa that economies of Northern states is finished due to the Boko Haram insurgency.

7. Ebonyi – 73.6%

Created by Gen. Sanni Abacha in 1996, Ebonyi is the only south eastern state among the top 9 poorest country. It is governed by Martin Elechi who currently claims his enemies have set aside N3bn for his impeachment.

The state is besieged by corrupt office holders and the EFCC recently froze accounts of the state’s local governments.

6. Plateau – 74.1%

Plateau State is the twelfth largest state of Nigeria, and is roughly located in the center of the country. Governored by Jonah Jang of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, Plateau has naturally col climate and a wide range of tourist attractions and boasts of a bubbling state capital, Jos.

The state is haunted by some terrorist attacks and tribal clashes from time to time, especially clashes between Fulani herdsmen and its inhabitants.

5. Jigawa – 74.1%

Jigawa, carved out of the old Kano state is located in North central Nigeria and is under the leadership of Alhaji Sule lamido.

Kano State and Katsina State border Jigawa to the west, Bauchi State to the east and Yobe State to the northeast. To the north, Jigawa shares an international border with Zinder Region in The Republic of Niger, which is a unique opportunity for cross-border trading activities. Government readily took advantage of this by initiating and establishing a Free-Trade Zone at the Border town of Maigatari of country of Niger.

4. Gombe – 74.2%

Gombe is another North eastern state which shares common borders with the states of Borno, Yobe, Taraba, Adamawa and Bauchi. It suffers sporadic attacks from terrorists and is governed by rIbrahim Hassan Dankwambo of the Peoples’ Democratic Party.

3. Adamawa – 74.2%

Formed in 1991 from the extinct Gongola state, Adamawa has of late been terrorized by the islamist Boko Haram terrorist group, disrupting it’s economic development and growth.

However Yola, the state capital under its current governor Bala Ngillari is fast being transformed with new roads, street lights, traffic lights and other prerequisites of a modern city being built. However things are far from being rosy as other parts of the state remain underdeveloped.

2. Katsina – 74.5%

Katsina is a state in North central Nigeria and is governed by Ibrahim Shettima of the Peoples’ Democratic Party.

The state has the highest poverty prevalence amongst all states in the region.

Under the economic sector there is a paltry capital allocation of only N276 million (0.2%) to manufacturing, a paltry N214,019,000 (0.1%) capital provision for Women Empowerment under the Ministry of Women Affairs and only N100 million (0.08%) under the Ministry of Youth and Sports for the states Youth Empowerment Program (Youth Action Plan).

1. Sokoto – 81.2%

Sokoto is located in the extreme Northwest of Nigeria. It has unfriendly climate conditions with temperature going as high as 45C on a normal day.

Most part of the state are rural areas and over eighty percent (80%) of the inhabitants of Sokoto practice one form of agriculture or another.

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Fuel Subsidy & Scarcity Wahala: I Will Try and Find Out What Went Wrong – Buhari Speaks

resident-elect Muhammadu Buhari is speaking out about the current fuel issues Nigeria is facing.

Here are excerpts from a recent interview he had with Daily Trust:

One burning issue is fuel subsidy. I believe you are aware of the queues in major cities like Lagos and Abuja. The fuel importers say they are unsure of the direction of the new government in this area. Have you considered maintaining or withdrawing this subsidy or are you questioning whether it didn’t exist at all?

One of the problems I have, other than the military, is the petroleum industry where I served for three and a half years under General Obasanjo. When people start talking about this subsidy I honestly get confused. I will tell you this, and I hope it will answer what you want to know. Back then we had a refinery in Port Harcourt, which was refining 30,000 barrels a day of Nigerian crude.

Later, it was upgraded to refine 100,000 barrels a day. Another refinery was built in Port Harcourt to refine 150,000 barrels per day of Nigerian crude. So, Port Harcourt alone had the capacity to refine 250,000 barrels per day of Nigerian crude.

But when I found myself as the Minister of Petroleum I set up another refinery in Warri for 100, 000 barrels per day of Nigerian crude and the Kaduna refinery a 100, 000 barrels per day. So Nigeria built capacity to refine 450,000 a day.

Four Hundred thousands of which is purely Nigerian crude, but 50,000 was imported. The type of crude could be Venezuelan, which could be a bit heavier. But the lighter ones – kerosene, aviation fuel, diesel, PMS of different grades could be produced from our crude because Nigerian crude is about the best in the world.

If you could recall, after finishing as Minister of Petroleum, I subsequently became Head of State. You remember, I appointed Professor Tam David West as the Minister of Petroleum. When we rounded up bunkers, collected their illegal jetties and allowed jetties for only big firms which were doing production and development in the country, we were shocked that we had too much fuel.

We had to begin to export 100,000 barrels per day. Don’t forget that we didn’t stop at building refineries, we built more than 20 depots during my time, from Port Harcourt to Ilorin, Makurdi, Suleija, Maiduguri and Kano. More than 3,000 pipelines were laid to connect them. A number of stations were also built to take the trailers off the road, save lives and the infrastructure on the road. It is more economical because each trailer uses fuel.

We did all that in this country and we didn’t borrow any money as far as I know. It’s Nigerian money. From each Nigerian crude, whether Akwa Ibom, Bonny Light or whatever it is, you can work out how much products it will give you; how much petrol it will give you; how much diesel it will give you if you want to produce diesel. We could tell how much Nigerian crude cost, the cost of transportation from there to the refinery, the cost of refining, the cost of transportation to the pump stations and maybe 5 per cent go for overhead. I can understand if Nigerians pay for those costs. But somebody is saying he is subsidizing Nigerians. Who is subsidizing who?

But they argue that the price should not be the same in Lagos and Daura, for example?
It has to be the same because it is the Nigerian crude.

But they consider the cost of transportation?
Why didn’t it make any difference when we were around? Why did we build the network of pipelines? Why did we build the network of depots? What can Nigerians benefit from the God-given gift of petroleum? No refinery is built unless there is an in-depth research that there is enough reserve of up to six layers to be produced.

The argument I have heard is that refineries are aged. Mostly, they are performing at less than half of their capacity…?
You can’t defend these corrupt and incompetent people. You can’t defend them. There used to be what they call turn-around-maintenance. You close the refinery in order to overhaul and clean it. What we did: we asked our producers, we need various refined products of this type at this time when the refineries are being cleaned. Take this type of Nigerian crude and bring us the refined products.

What we don’t need, we will calculate and pay you as fees for refining and transportation. If it is more than what the crude can handle, then we take it from the treasury. But you are trying to justify all these frauds by saying the refineries are aged.

Of course, they are actually aged?
They said the refineries are aged. The pipelines are leaking. There is vandalisation. Who ordered the vandalisation?

Does it suggest that you don’t believe in the subsidy? So, you are not going to agree to its continuation in anyway?
I would like to be on ground and find out what really has been going wrong. Why is it that people are doing round-tripping with the Nigerian products and take money from the treasury? Some people are still in court. You know about it. So, I’m not taking anything for granted. But I will try and find out what went wrong

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Mentality! Man Reportedly Climbs Tree & Refuses To Come Down Until Buhari Is Sworn In (Photo)

Could this truly be real? We’ve had trekker, bicycle riders, and donkey riders traveling long distances to support their favourite politicians. And now, it looks like we have tree climbers.

According to some Facebook gist floating around, the man pictured below climbed a tree in honour of president-elect Muhammadu Buhari, and says he will not climb down until the new government is sworn in.

According to reports, the man is a husband of two and father of five named Mallam Kaura, who climbed a tree at Kantoma in Kurgwi, Quan Pan LGA of Plateau State since Friday 22nd May 2015 and says he will only come down once Buhari comes into power

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Jonathan Given 30-Day Deadline For Assets Declaration

President Goodluck Jonathan and his vice, Namadi Sambo, were directed by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to declare their assets.

Moreover, 29 governors, 42 ministers, 109 senators and 360 House or Representatives members were ordered to do the same, The Punch has obtained.

The officials were said to have been given a 30-day deadline to return the completed Assets Declaration Forms.

Kolade Omoyola, CCB acting secretary, last Tuesday noted that “political office holders to declare their assets on assumption and vacation of office in accordance with Paragraph II of the 5th Schedule of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended”.

The Bureau representative also issued a warning that those who fail to declare their assets, as required by the law, “shall attract on conviction any or all of the following: (a) Removal from office (b) Disqualification from holding any public office, (c) Forfeiture to the state any property acquired in abuse of office or dishonesty”.

It was gathered that only seven senators and 40 reps had submitted their forms so far.

Tony Okocha, Rivers state official, said that Governor Rotimi Amaechi would soon submit the completed form: “The Governor Rotimi Amaechi that I know will submit his form to the Bureau very soon.

He has no skeleton in his cupboard and has nothing to hide anywhere in Nigeria and anywhere in the world.”

Jacob Edi, the special adviser to Kogi state Governor Idris Wada, said that the governor, and all the other political appointees in the state subject to the law had submitted the forms.

Edo state governor Godswill Akpabio had submitted the form before he was sworn in, his aide provided.

A representative of Oyo state governor said that Abiola Ajimobi “certainly will” declare his assets.

It should be recalled that late Musa Yar’Adua is the only Nigerian president who has declared his assets.

Muhammadu Buhari, the president-elect, also vowed to to openly declare assets and liabilities after taking over office .

Meanwhile President Jonathan last year refused to make such a move. GEJ explained he had already done this while being deputy to Yar’Adua.

He claimed in the course of the third presidential media chat:

“The issue of public assets declaration is a matter of personal principle. That is the way I see it, and I don’t give a damn about it, even if you criticise me from heaven.

When I was the vice-president, that matter came up, and I told the former President (late Musa Yar’Adua) that let’s not start something that would make us play into the hands of people and create an anomalous situation in the country.

“The law is clear. A public officer should declare his assets, and if there are issues, then the relevant agencies would have a basis to assess whether you have amassed wealth or not. When it is said that people should declare their assets in public, it is not only the president or the vice-president; it includes everybody, including ministers.

“When I was a governor in Bayelsa State for about a year before becoming vice-president, I was investigated thoroughly. I have nothing to hide.

But because I was under somebody and it was becoming an issue, because of the media, and because my boss had declared, it was said that the vice-president must. I declared, not because I
wanted to.

“Initially, I said they can talk about it from morning to night, I will not. It is not proper.

If one amends the law to say that only the president and the vice- president should declare assets publicly, fine.

But, presently, everybody who is holding political office is expected to and I say it is not right.”

In another development General Theophilus Danjuma (retd.), the former defence minister, yesterday advised Muhammadu Buhari to probe President Jonathan’s administration over the $60 billion debt the new administration will inherit.

According to Daily Trust, Danjuma lamented: “It is disheartening to know that the incoming government of Buhari will have to contend with a debt of over $60billion and there is nothing to show for this huge debt.

“Well, we would know what happened to these monies, because I believe that the Buhari administration has to, and should, in national interest, investigate the administration so that we
would know what happened.”

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[OPINION] As President Jonathan Heads For Otuoke, He Leaves Legacy Of Corruption, Lies, And Waste By Bayo Oluwasanmi

Looking back through our history, Nigeria has been led by a series of heads of states and presidents. Some like Murtala Muhammed, Muhammadu Buhari the President-elect, and Yakubu Gowon left a legacy of service and wisdom.

Others of course, like Sanni Abacha and Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida have been disasters. Majority of Nigerians would agree that President Goodluck Jonathan belongs to the latter group. History is, ultimately, the judge of one’s legacy. Some who were judged great and others who were considered failures, their legacies inform our lives and guide us into the future.

Jonathan governed during one of our nation’s darkest hours. He leaves behind a legacy of corruption, lies, and waste. In many ways he is the wrong person for the times – a man who seems not to understand the gravity of leadership in perilous times.

Taking office in 2011, he said: “My dear compatriots, … Together we will unite our nation and improve the living standards of all our peoples whether in the North or in the South, in the East or in the West. Our decade of development has begun … The day of transformation begins today.” … We must grow the economy, create jobs, and generate enduring happiness for our people.”

Almost from the first day in office Jonathan failed to grasp the difference between truth and falsehood. His proclaimed primary objective was to destroy federalism, states’ rights and the unity of our country. Indeed, Jonathan has proven to be the great divider of our people than a uniter.

Jonathan consistently pontificates that he’s fighting corruption. However, corruption scandals involving many of his prominent cabinet members provides a glimpse into the reactionary politics, political division, and social and economic parasitism of his administration. Jonathan’s administration is an epitome of corruption.

Since he assumed office in 2011, corruption has gripped and crippled all sectors: oil industry, pension commission, the police, the military, aviation, civil service, mint and printing company, name it. The monies involved run into millions and billions if not trillions. He promotes corruption by his actions and inaction. He surrounds himself with felons and proven thieves and thugs such as Femi Fani-Kayode, Ayodele Fayose, Doyin Okupe, Kashamu Buruji, Bode George, Iyiola Omisore, and other illustrious criminals. He pardoned his former boss the poster child of corruption, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

Our foreign reserve account which was $62 billion in 2008, is down to $38 Billion while the excess crude oil account which in 2009 was $20 billion is down to zero. The domestic gas project aimed at generating power has gulped $12 billion by December 2014 and nothing to show for it. Jonathan remains silent till now on N155 billion oil scandal involving government officials, Shell, Subsidiaries in Nigeria. The money was paid on the order of Jonathan to Malibu Oil and gas, a company owned by Dan Etete, a former oil minister under late General Sani Abacha.

Ten billion Naira was expended on chartered jets by the oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke. On top of the $20 Billion missing from NNPC accounts, Alison-Madueke was involved on royalties and signature bonuses and was ordered by PriceWaterHouseCoopers auditing firm to refund $1.48 billion to the public coffers. Stella Oduah former aviation minister, with tax payers’ money purchased N225 million BMW armored cars for her personal use.

Alison-Madueke on behalf of Jonathan bankrolled AIT $10 billion bribe to produce and air negative documentaries on leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) – Muhammadu Buhari, Ahmed Tinubu, and Yemi Osinbajo. Under Jonathan, the federal government’s debt has risen by $18.40 billion (N3trillion) in the last four years.

Jonathan paid N7 billion bribe to Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for the group to campaign against Buhari. The cost of Jonathan’s campaign for the March 28 elections was a staggering one trillion Naira. In fact, by the first week of March, Jonathan had spent about N1.05 trillion.

In 2013,Trade and Investment Minister Olusegun Aganga said Nigeria lost N755 billion monthly to inaccurate measurements of exports. A man who embezzled N7.2 billion Police Pension Fund was only fined N750,000. Lucky Igbinedion’s brother, Michael Igbinedion who stole N25 billion from Edo State coffers was fined only N3 million. The N2.5 trillion fuel subsidy scam still unaccounted for.

Jonathan believes the problem of corruption is over flogged. At the funeral of General Owoye Azazi, Jonathan said corruption was not the cause of Nigeria’s problems. He was reacting to a statement by one of the officiating priests who had argued that corruption was the cause of all Nigeria’s problems. “Most of the things we think are caused by corruption are not,” says Jonathan. “This is because Nigeria has several institutions that fight corruption.” The judiciary was not spared from corruption. Under Jonathan, Nigerian judges are to justice and the rule of law as Hitler is to peace and religious freedom.

During his administration, Jonathan embarked on reckless spending that benefits his wealthy elite of millionaires and billionaires, his cabinet members, political appointees, business associates, pastor friends and spiritual counselors and saw their ranks swelled and their fortunes fattened. The result is a social and economic polarization unprecedented in the history of our nation.

Jonathan’s principal task was to police the yawning class divide, hiring the largest number of do-nothing political parasites, fund redundant agencies with overlapping functions with no objectives, no focus, no result. His inner circle of friends and appointees felt they were entitled to a life of luxury at the expense of the nation. This was part of the toxic atmosphere of corruption, poverty, hopelessness, fear, hatred, class division that hung over Nigeria under Jonathan.

But misuse of public funds is the true treason. For every Naira pilfered from the government an underprivileged child goes hungry. As a result of Jonathan’s self-enrichment drive, pregnant women were denied the right to access medical care from hospitals. The sick, especially the vulnerable ones like senior citizens, children with special needs, and the infirm were denied the urgent medical needs.

Each day, Nigerians are greeted with a shocking distraction from their daily troubles with unbelievable news of corruption. For Jonathan, he has nothing to worry about. There was no reprimand for the perpetrators. Company CEOs, bank executives, ministers, political appointees, caught with their hands in the cookie jar, Jonathan did nothing to stop large caliber corruption charges, even at close range.

A writer once described Jonathan as a “serial liar.” Each opportunity he has to address the problems of the nation, he oozes out a bagful of lies. Samples: Jonathan vows to end Boko Haram menace (AFP April 19, 2012). Jonathan vows ‘Major changes’ for Nigeria (Dailymotion, April 20, 2011). Nigerian President vows to Return nation to Order (Vanguard Apil 21, 201). Nigerian President vows to Strengthen Democratic Rule (Voice of America, May 30, 2011). Jonathan vows to “crush terrorists” (Reuters, Dec. 31, 2011). Jonathan vows not to shield any corrupt person from investigation or prosecution by anti-graft agencies in the country (NewsDiary, May 4, 2012). Corruption: No more sacred cows, Jonathan vows (vanguard July 26, 2011). I’ve fulfilled my promises to Nigerians – Jonathan (Premium Times November 11, 2014).

While majority of Nigerians are restless about where their next meal would come from,when civil servants are not paid for months, when six million jobs promised youths never materialized, when students protested against hiked fees, when civil and human rights organizations denounced the travesty of justice in the land, Jonathan and his crew clung to the mentality of broiler chickens which eat without stopping.

As we remember the waste and the ruins of the Jonathan years, we must remember that the function of memory is not only to register past events, but to stimulate human conscience. The future of our great nation can be different and it should be different. We must move from memory to action.

Farewell to the native son of Otuoke!

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Buhari Rejects Rolls Royce Provided By Nigerian High Commission In London

President-elect Muhammadu Buhari, currently on a private visit to England, on Friday turned down the use of a Rolls Royce made available for him by the Nigerian High Commission in London.

Buhari shocked officials of the High Commission when, on landing at the Heathrow Airport, he declined to make use of the Rolls Royce and other facilities offered him.

The Nation gathered that after exchanging pleasantries with the embassy officials led by the High Commissioner, Dr Dalhatu Tafida, the president-elect politely told them that his visit was strictly private and he had made arrangement for all his needs while in the UK.

He reportedly thanked them for the warm reception and quickly hopped into a less flamboyant car he had arranged for and drove out of the airport.

A source said: “It appeared he was uncomfortable with the number of exotic cars in the convoy.

“Hard as the stunned diplomats present tried to convince him, he refused to bulge, insisting that since he did not inform the Commission of his visit because it was not an official trip, hence he was not entitled to such grandeur.”

Buhari, yesterday, held talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron at his 10, Downing Street official residence.

Top of their discussion was the continued threat to Nigeria’s security by the terror group, Boko Haram.

The official website of the UK government said after the talks that “both leaders congratulated each other on their recent election victories and discussed the challenges facing Nigeria.”

It added: “the Prime Minister stressed the UK’s wish to work for a stable, prosperous and secure Nigeria.

“The leaders discussed security in the region and the fight against terrorism, particularly the threat posed by Boko Haram.

“They discussed the need for a regional approach and agreed to continue working together to build the capacity of the Nigerian Army, with the UK continuing to provide military training and intelligence support.

“On tackling corruption, they agreed this was a priority to ensure Nigeria’s prosperity and success.”

Mr. Cameron was said to have agreed to look at what technical assistance and support the UK could provide to the Nigerian government as it looks to undertake its reforms.

“They also discussed the need to tackle organised crime and the links between the UK and Nigeria.

“Finally, they talked about the challenges posed by migration from Africa to Europe and the president-elect said he would do all he could to secure Nigeria’s borders,” the statement said.

Source: TheNation

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Man hacked to death for confronting herbalist

Itoro, the first son and the breadwinner of the family, was allegedly hacked to death by a herbalist, Ette Okon on Friday, following a misunderstanding.

Rita Emmanuel, a cousin of the deceased, a commercial motor cyclist, told the story of the murder. According to her, Itoro lived with his parents in their grass house in Ikot Abasi Effiom, in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State until he rented a room in a house close to his parents’.

“About a month ago, he decided to rent a room in the next street so that his wife who was about to deliver a baby could have more space and we all agreed that it was okay. He got a room in Ette Friday’s house and moved there”.

Rita explained that everything was fine until Ndarake, Itoro’s wife, gave birth and the baby died within days. After the death of the baby, the wife, according to the cousin, became sick and suffered epileptic seizures.

Friday, described as a herbalist, was said to have claimed he could heal the woman and asked for N5.000 to get materials to heal her.

Rita stated that after Friday took the money, he assured Itoro that his wife would soon recover and commenced treatment but that didn’t happen.

Rita said:“Last year, Itoro lost his first wife after she gave birth to their second daughter; so he was worried that his second wife taking care of the two children was going to die too. He asked the herbalist why the state of his wife was getting worse when it ought to be improving since the man had been given the money he demanded and he assured that he would treat the woman . The man did not say anything; he simply went inside his shrine and brought out a machete and cut Itoro’s throat”.

A resident, who gave his name as Monday, said when people heard Itoro’s cries that night, they rushed to the herbalist’s house and met Itoro in a pool of blood.

According to him, when the herbalist saw them, he threatened them with a machete. This, he said, angered the residents who took matters into their hands, overpowered him, cut his own throat, dumped the body inside the shrine and set the place ablaze.

“The remains of the herbalist were eaten by dogs which he deserves because we could not understand why he should kill a young man for asking why the state of his wife whom he was treating was worsening rather than improving”.

Mr Hogan Bassey, the spokesman for the Command, said the matter was being investigated.

Vanguard

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We Have No Money To Import Fuel – Marketers

There are indications that the current fuel scarcity may not abate unless the Federal Government pays the outstanding N200m reportedly being owed the oil marketers as subsidy claims.

The oil marketers, who confirmed to our correspondent that they had stopped importation, said they could not continue with fuel importation as result of inadequate funds.

They spoke through the Executive Secretary, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Obafemi Olawore.

Olawore, along with the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, also denied the report that they were on strike.

He said they were still waiting for the Federal Government to call them to another roundtable on how to pay the N200bn fuel subsidy owed them.

Olawore said, “We are not on strike. People are just painting us the way they want. We are not importing because we don’t have the money to buy the products. The government has not invited us. The only thing we have heard is the resolution of the Senate on Thursday and I think that they are going to invite us soon.”

Out of N356.2bn subsidy the government reportedly owed oil marketers, the Ministry of Finance paid the sum of N156bn about two weeks ago.

With about five days to the handover of power to a new administration at the federal level, tanker drivers in the country have also stopped lifting fuel from the depots, leaving many filling stations without the product and others selling at exorbitant prices.

The General Secretary, NUPENG, Mr. Isaac Aberare, said tankers drivers would start lifting the product as soon as they received the directive to do so, insisting that they were not strike.

He said, “If there are products in the depots, we will go there and load. Remember that the Lagos State Government gave tankers drivers 48 hours to leave the road instead of clogging the whole road and making navigation difficult; we have complied with that instruction. Any time there are products, we will go and load.”

In its response to the lingering fuel scarcity in the country, the Senate on Thursday directed its Committee on Petroleum Resources (upstream and downstream) to commence a full investigation into the causes of the persistent fuel crisis.

The directive was made following a motion by the Deputy Senate Majority Leader, Senator Abdul Ningi.

Ningi said, “We need to know whether fuel scarcity has come to stay. We need to know whether it has become part of our lives. We need to plan.

“By planning and talking about it, we are now sensitising Nigerians to brace for the impending issue of fuel scarcity whether it is going to be here permanently or it is temporary.”

Source: PunchNg

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