…says it’s economic sabotage, criminal
FOLLOWING queues surfacing at different filling stations by motorists, a Civil Society Organisation, Concerned Nigerians, CN, Monday, called on the Federal Government to sanction erring independent marketers over alleged hoarding of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, also known as fuel.
This was contained in a letter with the subject, ‘Persistent Hoarding of Fuel By Independent Marketers: A Call for Urgent Action’ signed by the Convener, CN, Deji Adeyanju, and addressed to the Minister of State for Petroleum, and drawing the attention of the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
According to the CSO, in recent months independent marketers of petroleum products have engaged in speculative acts of hoarding petroleum products, particularly PMS, in a bid to criminally increase the prices, cause artificial scarcity.
The letter reads in part, “As you may already know, in recent months independent marketers of petroleum products have engaged in speculative acts of hoarding petroleum products, particularly PMS, in a bid to criminally increase the prices, cause artificial scarcity and plunge the country into widespread economic chaos.
“For example, filling stations across the nation’s capital are littered with long queues of vehicles seeking to purchase fuel, while the independent marketers ensure that their filing stations are shut for the day by 6pm.
“What is, however, deeply worrisome is that the regulators have not deemed it necessary to call these independent marketers to order but continue to allow them to take advantage of Nigerians. At a time when Nigerians are going through excruciating pain, artificial fuel scarcity is the last thing they should worry about.
“Sequel to the foregoing, we call on the Federal government to arrest the offending marketers, shut their filling stations and bring this ongoing economic sabotage to an end. Nigerians deserve to buy fuel at an accessible rate anytime.”
Meanwhile, the group described the current hoarding as economic sabotage, “It is equally important to point out that causing artificial scarcity resulting in economic sabotage is a criminal offence under our laws.
“The Federal government must, therefore, put a halt to the ball watching and take urgent steps to address the economic sabotage, especially as there is no reason for artificial scarcity at this time.”
