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Black market, queuing boom, as NNPC battles deepening fuel scarcity

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has vowed to end the queues for Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, by Wednesday, as the black market for PMS boomed on Sunday.

NNPC also declared that it did not owe international oil traders $6.8bn as claimed in some quarters, a development which some industry watchers described as a major reason for the widespread PMS scarcity in Nigeria.

But despite the national oil firmā€™s assurance that the queues for petrol would clear this week, oil marketers said on Sunday that the loading of products at depots had yet to improve.

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Black marketers of petrol who sold the commodity in jerrycans took advantage of the situation, as they dispensed PMS for as high as N1,200 to N1,500/litre, depending on the area of purchase.

Day 5 ā€“ Hunger protesters take to the street as they continue to express their grievances. | Punch0.00 / 0.00

This came as the sole importer of the commodity (NNPC) blamed the petrol scarcity on evacuation challenges at PMS vessels.

NNPC is Nigeriaā€™s only importer of petrol. Other dealers stopped importing the commodity due to their inability to access the United States dollar required for petrol imports.

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The Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC, Olufemi Soneye, told one of our correspondents that the oil firm was working hard to tackle the fuel supply challenges, stressing that the queues should clear by mid-week.

ā€œItā€™s just an evacuation challenge out of Apapa (ports in Lagos) from the vessel. But we are working on it. It should be resolved. Iā€™m very sure that fuel scarcity will be cleared out by Wednesday,ā€ Soneye stated on Sunday.

He later issued a press statement on the matter, saying, ā€œThe NNPC Ltd regrets the tightness in fuel supply witnessed in some parts of Lagos and the FCT (Federal Capital Territory), which is as a result of distribution challenges.

ā€œThe company further urges motorists to shun panic buying as it is working round the clock with relevant stakeholders to restore normalcy.ā€

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ā€œThe company further urges motorists to shun panic buying as it is working round the clock with relevant stakeholders to restore normalcy.ā€

But operators told The PUNCH that the fuel supply situation at the depots had yet to improve as of Sunday.

An official of one of the top petroleum companies in Nigeria said the company was out of stock.

ā€œWe donā€™t have supply yet. For us and many depots in Apapa, itā€™s nil stock,ā€ the official, who spoke in confidence due to lack of authorisation to speak on the matter, stated.

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An oil marketer disclosed that the scarcity might get worse in Lagos during the week as there was no improvement in supply.

The scarcity may get worse in Lagos during the week. Nothing is changing yet. Though motorists still get the product to buy although at very high rates,ā€ the marketer disclosed.

A depot operator revealed that ā€œdepots will still get supplies this week, but definitely it will not be enough to meet desired demand to bring down the fuel crisis.ā€

The manager of a filling station in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, said a litre of petrol was N880 as of Friday.

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The manager, who identified himself simply as Adeyanju, said his principal had not been able to get fuel since Friday, adding that the private depots were hiking the price of petrol.

On his part, the National Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chief Ukadike Chinedu, said the challenges in the downstream oil sector were compounded by the recent nationwide hunger protests.

ā€œAside from the fact that there is not enough supply, the recent protests disrupted activities in the downstream oil sector. We are still struggling to sort that one out and there is also the challenge of low supply of petrol,ā€ he stated.

NNPC denies indebtedness

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In a similar development, the national oil firm said on Sunday that it does not owe international oil traders $6.8bn.

The company also denied claims that it has not remitted funds into the federation account since January.

Soneye, in a statement, reacted to different allegations against the state-owned energy firm.

It was alleged that NNPC owed some of its suppliers, being the sole importer of petrol into Nigeria, though Soneye acknowledged that such transactions were done on credit.

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ā€œNNPC Ltd does not owe the sum of $6.8bn to any international trader(s). In the oil trading business, transactions are carried out on credit, so it is normal to owe at one point or the other.

ā€œBut NNPC Ltd through its subsidiary, NNPC Trading, has many open trade credit lines from several traders. The company is paying its obligations of related invoices on a first-in-first-out basis,ā€ Soneye stated.

However, he did not state the financial obligations NNPC is currently attending to

On remittances, he said, ā€œIt is not correct to say that NNPC Ltd has not remitted any money to the federation account since January. NNPC Ltd. and all its subsidiaries remit their taxes to the Federal Inland Revenue Service regularly.

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“This is in addition to payments of CIT (company income tax) to road contractors under the Road Investment Tax Credit Scheme. In all, NNPC Ltd is the largest contributor to the tax revenue shared every month at the Federation Account Allocation Committee.ā€

Soneye maintained that the NNPC is not a regulator and has nothing to do with the quality of imported fuel.

ā€œOn the issue of quality/quantity fiscalisation of imported petroleum products, NNPC Ltd has no role whatsoever as it is not a regulator. The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, which is the relevant regulatory agency in charge of such issues, is an independent body and does not report to the NNPC Ltd,ā€ he noted.

He explained that the NNPC is not averse to inquiries by the media into issues on and around its operations before dissemination to the public either through the print or electronic channels of communication.

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ā€œThe company will, always, gladly take the opportunity to state the facts of the subject matter(s). This is in line with the companyā€™s commitment to the Transparency, Accountability, and Performance Excellence philosophy as emplaced by the Mele Kyari-led management since stepping into the saddle in 2019,ā€ Soneye said.

Queues in states

Despite NNPCā€™s assurance and defense, the queues for petrol lingered in many states and Abuja, while the cost of the commodity crossed N1,000/litre in some locations.

Fuel scarcity persisted in Abuja, Nasarawa, Niger, and neighbouring states. It resurfaced in Lagos on Sunday. The PUNCH observed that the queues to the Northwest filling station inward Gbagada stretched to the West End bus stop along the Gbagada-Oworonshoki Expressway.

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The queues at the NNPC filling station at Ogudu stretched across the nearby bridge. It was the same scene at the MRS filling station at the Estate bus stop.

In Osogbo, Osun State, petrol was unavailable in most filling stations observed in Ayetoro, Old Garage, and Ota Efun Area, while a handful of independent marketers dispensing fuel sold the product for N800/litre.

Motorists and commuters decried the increase in petrol prices in Edo State. Independent marketers sold it for between N830 and N890/litre in the state capital while the outlets owned by major marketers sold for between N680 and N688/litre.

The cost of transportation worsened in Uyo as petrol sold for between N900 and N950/litre in the metropolis.

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Residents of Gombe State lamented the increase in the cost of PMS across most filling stations in the state.

Petrol scarcity in Bauchi State did not change as customers stayed in long queues to buy the product on Sunday.

Residents of Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, lamented the hike in the price of PMA and the scarcity of the product.

The scarcity was also pronounced in Sokoto State as many residents expressed frustration over the development.

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The fuel scarcity in the Kaduna metropolis and its environs continued unabated on Sunday, causing untold hardship to motorists and other road users.

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NNPC’s failure to fix refineries might encourage Dangote to be monopolistic

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Despite bickering between the Dangote Petrochemical Industry and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), a group of Nigerians in Diaspora has entertained fears that the leading regulatory agency might be secretly encouraging Dangote Refinery to be monopolistic in oil distribution in the country.

Dr. Donald Illiya, Global President of Nigerians in Diaspora Movement
(NDM), in a statement signed Monday morning from London, United Kingdom, said the public faceoffs between the NNPCL and Dangote refinery is confusing, and might be to distract Nigerians, while the regulatory body encourages Dangote to be the sole oil distributor in Nigeria, by suppressing the state owned local refineries and hold them continually in comatose.

“The Nigerians in Diaspora Movement have watched with perplexity the choreographed performance between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Dangote Petrochemicals Refinery, which is meant to keep exploiting Nigerians by making them pay more than reasonable pump prices for refined petroleum products.

“For us, taking in the state of the nation’s economy and the ongoing cost of living crisis, we are of the view that Nigeriaā€™s fate is tied to the state of government-owned refineries, which must be made functional to cause a consequential drop in the prices of fuel and a positive knock-off effect on the cost of living.

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“From our review of the murky situations around the refining, importation, supply and pricing of petroleum products, we are constrained to conclude that NNPCL and its officials are aiding Dangote Refinery to emerge as a monopoly by failing to revive domestic refineries while obscuring this fact by being publicly hostile to each other”, the statement said.

The group, while asserting high level of corruption in the energy sector, said, despite spending over N17 trillion to rehabilitate the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries from 2002 to 2022, and still spending more, even under the present regime of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the local refineries have remained comatose.

“We are concerned that the unfolding drama is part of a larger plot to conceal the fact that NNPCL has kept its track record as a cesspit of corruption, which is most prominent in the phantom turnaround maintenance of the government-owned refineries. From when NNPCL Group CEO, Mele Kyari assumed office in July 2019, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari approved $1.5 billion for the rehabilitation of the Kaduna, Port Harcourt, and Warri refineries. Another N54.66 billion was spent on refinery rehabilitation from January to June 2022.

“More funds have disappeared into the private coffers of those managing NNPCL such that additional monies have been spent even under the current government, bringing the total expenditure on refinery repairs to approximately N17 trillion on turnaround maintenance of the nationā€™s three refineries between 2002 and 2022.

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“The only output Nigerians have had from this huge expenditure are the ever-changing delivery dates for the refineries to resume operation. In November 2023 a December 2023 target date was announced for Port Harcourt Refinery, and by December of that year, March 2024 was announced as a new date only for this to be altered at least three other times.

“The completion of repairs on Kaduna Refinery was set for the first quarter of 2024, but the refinery has only produced stories on why it is being delayed. Warri Refinery has not fared any better, as a similar first quarter of 2024 target date for commencement of operations, as announced by Mele Kyari, turned out to be folklore”, the group added.

They are of the opinion that, “It is consequently plausible that the failure to make these refineries functional is beyond incompetence and the theft of the funds meant for repairing them. It is now glaring that the refineries are being kept moribund to create a favourable condition for the emergence of a monopoly. This is a tragic turn of events at a time when jurisdictions worldwide are taking bold steps to prevent predatory and monopolistic tendencies to protect citizens and businesses”.

Nigerians in Diaspora Movement, therefore, urged “President Bola Tinubu to take decisive steps to purge the rot in NNPCL so that domestic refineries can resume production and ward off the dangers of succumbing to a monopoly, which also presents a single point of failure for the nationā€™s fuel supply”.

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16 Days of Activism: Speaker Abbas Decries Increasing Violence Against Women

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…vows to end gender-based violence through legislation
By Gloria Ikibah
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas has reaffirmed the commitment of the 10th House to eradicate all forms of violence against women and girls in Nigeria.
The Speaker stated this at a historic march to commemorate the commencement of the 2024, 16 days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence organized by the House of Representatives to raise awareness and galvanize action against gender-based violence.
Naijablitznews.com reports that the march which had members of Civil Society Organisations, media, women and youth groups, lawmakers among others, was led by Speaker Abbas, symbolising the lawmakers dedication to fostering a safer and more inclusive society, free from violence and discrimination.
In his remarks, Speaker Abbas, decried the increasing rate of violence against women worldwide, and described it as an unacceptable and unforgivable trend.
According to him, a recent report by the United Nations revealed that a woman dies from violence every ten minutes; he noted that the global outcry and frustration from women necessitates urgent action to address the crisis.
He said, ā€œThis year’s programme comes at a time when women across the world are crying, angry, and frustrated,ā€ Abbas said. ā€œAccording to the United Nations, a woman is killed every ten minutes due to violence. This is an unacceptable and unforgivable trend.ā€
The Speaker who stressed the critical role of the legislature in tackling the issue, called for collaboration with law enforcement agencies and other relevant authorities to reverse the dire situation.
ā€œWe in the parliament must unite more than ever with relevant authorities, particularly law enforcement, to curb this dangerous trend to the barest minimum,ā€ Abbas stated.
ā€œI want to categorically assure Nigerians that the National Assembly will do everything humanly possible to drastically reduce, if not completely eliminate, all forms of violence against women and girls in the very near future”, he said.
He therefore pledged that the National Assembly, in particularly the House will actively engage in the forthcoming National Action Plan Against Violence on Women, set to be unveiled soon.
ā€œWe will send our representatives and actively participate in ensuring the enactment of robust policies aimed at significantly reducing all forms of violence against women, children, and girls,ā€ Abbas added.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Rep. Kafilat Ogbara said one in three women globally are victims of gender-based violence.
She called on security agencies to make efforts to see that victims of gender-based violence get justice whenever they report their cases.
She said, “We want to get justice. We want to get justice. We are saying no to lecturers violating students that they will fail them if they do not yielding in. We say no to bosses at work for violating their secretaries, their staff that if they do not yield in they are sacked. We say no all forms of violence against our children, our girls. Fathers raping daughters. Uncles raping children. Boys raping girls.”
Rep. Ogbara led the march to the office of the Inspector General of Police, where she presented a petition urging swift justice for victims of gender-based violence.
“We are here this morning to submit a petition calling for immediate intervention, thorough investigation, and prompt prosecution of cases related to gender-based violence. We urge the Inspector General of Police to take decisive action, especially as we mark the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.”
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who received the petition pledged to thoroughly examine and implement the recommendations contained in a petition he personally received.
The IGP emphasized the need for collective action in tackling gender-based violence.
ā€œThis occasion serves as a powerful reminder that eradicating gender-based violence across the globe requires a unified effort. It cannot be achieved by law enforcement agents or actions alone. It is a shared responsibility that calls for the active involvement of every one of us,ā€ he stated.
Recognizing the urgent need for collective action, Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, stressed the importance of inter-ministerial collaboration to significantly reduce gender-based violence in Nigeria.
Olawande reiterated the government’s commitment to tackling this pervasive issue.
“Through coordinated efforts and partnerships among ministries and agencies, we can achieve a drastic reduction in cases of gender-based violence and create a safer environment for women and girls,” he stated.
The global campaign of the 2024 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is titled: “Towards Beijing +30: UNiTE to End Violence Against Women and Girls”, the Minister stressed the need to accelerate progress toward gender equality as the world approaches the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
This yearā€™s activism seeks to galvanize stakeholders, governments, civil society organizations, and individuals, to take decisive steps to eradicate violence and ensure justice for survivors.
Gender-based violence remains a devastating reality for women and girls, impacting countless lives and communities across the globe.
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Trump set to sign Executive Order to flush out transgender personnel from US military

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President-elect, Donald Trump, is set to sign an executive order that would remove all transgender members from the United States military.

It was learnt that the development has intensified concerns within the LGBTQ+ community.

The report claimed that the state officials had stated that transgender personnel would be discharged on medical grounds, deeming them ā€œunfitā€ to serve.

Recall that during Trumpā€™s first term as president, he introduced a similar policy that prohibited transgender individuals from joining the armed forces while allowing those already enlisted to remain in their roles.

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After Trump left office, President Joe Biden had overturned the military ban in his first week as president in 2021, issuing an executive order to restore transgender individualsā€™ right to serve openly. However, with Trumpā€™s potential return to the White House, transgender rights in the US may face renewed challenges.

However, the current proposal, as reported, would extend to removing all transgender service members, regardless of their current status. It is anticipated that the executive order will be issued on Trumpā€™s first day in office, January 20 next year.

If signed, Trumpā€™s new directive could be broader and more contentious than the policy he implemented during his first term. What would be its impact on transgender personnel serving in US military.

Reports indicated that approximately 15,000 transgender individuals are actively serving in the US military.

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This is coming amid moves by US congress to stop irst transgender lawmaker from using female restrooms and bathrooms in her new workplace.

US House Speaker Mike Johnson had expressed his support for the policy that tends to disregard transgender ideologies in the legislative arm.

ā€œAll single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House Office Buildings ā€” such as restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms ā€” are reserved for individuals of that biological sex,ā€ the speaker said in a statement last Wednesday.

ā€œIt is important to note that each Member office has its own private restroom, and unisex restrooms are available throughout the Capitol. Women deserve womenā€™s only spaces,ā€ he added.

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The move to prevent McBride from using the womenā€™s facilities in the House was first initiated by Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., who on Monday introduced a resolution to ban trans women from using womenā€™s bathrooms inside the complex.

Mace said the resolution was ā€œabsolutelyā€ in response to McBride, a Delaware Democrat, being elected to the House.

She took her anti-trans crusade even further on Wednesday, announcing a bill to ban trans people from using bathrooms that align with their gender in all federal buildings across the country. Neither of the resolutions have been brought to a House vote.

It is important to note that each Member office has its own private restroom, and unisex restrooms are available throughout the Capitol. Women deserve womenā€™s only spaces,ā€ he added.

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The move to prevent McBride from using the womenā€™s facilities in the House was first initiated by Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., who on Monday introduced a resolution to ban trans women from using womenā€™s bathrooms inside the complex.

Mace said the resolution was ā€œabsolutelyā€ in response to McBride, a Delaware Democrat, being elected to the House.

She took her anti-trans crusade even further on Wednesday, announcing a bill to ban trans people from using bathrooms that align with their gender in all federal buildings across the country. Neither of the resolutions have been brought to a House vote.

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