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University Don Tells FG To Sanction NUPENG President, General Secretary Over Failure To Curtail Tanker Fire Fatalities

Published

1 month ago

October 16, 2024

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Victims of Wednesday’s inferno in Jigawa State where over 100 people were burnt to death have received sympathy from an American based Professor of Humanity who called on the Federal government to sanction the leadership of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) over failure to curtail incessant deaths arising from tanker-related accidents across the country.

Professor Josephine T. Abubakar from University of Maryland, United States also commiserated with the families who lost loved ones in the tragic incident and prayed that God grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.

In a statement she made available to newsmen on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 she said Nigerian ministry of petroleum resources in collaboration with the National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) need to activate Safe-To-Load Initiative to mitigate incessant petroleum products tanker accidents and ensuing fire outbreaks in Nigeria.

The University don said, “It is highly irresponsible of an oil Union like NUPENG, especially its General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale for not reacting officially to a national tragedy caused by one of the branches of its union, PTD in particular. This is horrible and unbelievable, over 100 lives met their untimely death. NUPENG should not only be seen collecting multiple levies and dues from Tanker Drivers, but should be seen putting adequate safety measures in place to avoid fatalities like the one the country witnessed on Wednesday.

“The deaths was a colossal loss for Nigeria, and what made it more worrisome and heart-rending was that it could be avoided but NUPENG and PTD have failed in their responsibilities, rather they concentrate on bickering over leadership tussle, legal fireworks and other ventures that can bring pecuniary gains for them at the expense of their defenseless members. It’s a shame that Augustine Egbon, a stooge in PTD who was hand-picked to be the National Chairman has also been silent about this recent calamity. NUPENG has outrightly failed Nigeria to say the least.

“However, this is the best time for the Nigerian government to look into the activities of NUPENG and PTD so that public safety and security will no longer be put into jeopardy. Nigeria has lost many lives as a result of negligence, weak and incompetent leadership in NUPENG and PTD who cannot even fix its internal crisis but disgracing themselves on the pages of newspapers and the internet on a daily basis.

“The call also goes to Nigerian ministry of petroleum resources to collaborate with the National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) so as to activate Safe-To-Load Initiative to mitigate incessant petroleum products tanker accidents and ensuing fire outbreaks in Nigeria.

“PTD used to be known for operational excellence and robust safety checklist for loading of petroleum products at terminals, retail outlets and depots but since Afolabi came to the saddle as General Secretary, the Union has been in tatters. Government must overhaul NUPENG and PTD, if need be, Afolabi and the President should be sacked while the DSS can take over the affairs of the union, until a proper election is conducted. There is nothing new, this has happened in NUPENG before”, she said.

The professor further appealed to Tinubu led government to be committed in ensuring safe roads for petroleum products distribution in the country and as well continue to create laudable interventions that can cushion the hardships faced by tanker drivers in their task of distributing products across the country, while also stressing that law enforcement agencies must as well show cooperation, support and provide security/succor for the hardworking tanker drivers.

News

At last, Marketers Agree to Crash Petrol Prices as Dangote Sells Fuel at Reduced Cost after Deal

Published

12 minutes ago

November 16, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) said about 30,000 of its members will start lifting petrol from the Dangote Refinery The association’s president, Abubakar Maigandi, said that the refinery agreed to sell the product at N940 and N960, respectively He said the development means that petrol prices will crash at the pumps in the coming weeks following the new deal

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) says over 30,000 of its members are ready to buy petrol in bulk from the Dangote Refinery. The association revealed that the petrol price from the mega refinery was about N940 per litre via ships and N990 via trucks.

IPMAN president Abubakar Maigandi disclosed in a television interview on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, that the petrol pump prices at its outlets will drop following the deal with the refinery. The association reached a deal with the $20 billion refinery on Monday, November 11, 2024, to purchase petrol, diesel, and other petroleum products directly. The agreement comes after months of negotiations following the exit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) as the sole off-taker of the refinery.

Petrol prices to crash by over N50 Maigandi explained that the Lekki-based facility had been obliged to let marketers buy petrol, diesel, and Kerosene to supply to their depots and retail outlets. The IPMAN boss updated Nigerians on the pricing, saying the refinery gave marketers two rates based on preferences. He said marketers can load at the gantry at N990 per litre or vial vessel transport at N940. Punch reports that the new price is lower than the N960 and N990 per litre on ships and trucks offered by the refinery last week.

The IPMAN helmsman disclosed that the partnership aims to ensure a consistent and affordable supply of petrol and other products nationwide. He stated further that petrol prices may crash by N50 or more, depending on the location.

PETROAN set up a meeting with Dangote Refinery According to Maigandi, the direct purchase of petrol from the refinery will end payments to intermediaries such as the NNPC and depot owners, saying that the cost will reflect on petrol prices in the coming weeks. The IPMAN president said the new arrangement will also end fuel scarcity as products will be available nationwide in all seasons.

Additionally, the management of the Dangote Refinery is set to meet with Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) officials to discuss petrol lifting. The group’s publicity secretary, Joseph Obele, said the refinery, through its president, Billy Harry, mailed seeking a business meeting.

Obele said Harry has inaugurated a team of seven persons to represent the association at the meeting. NNPC to now sell only Dangote petrol Legit.ng earlier reported that NNPC had announced that it stopped importing refined petroleum products. Mele Kyari, NNPC’s Group Chief Executive Officer, disclosed this while speaking at the Lagos’s Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists’ (NAPE) conference and said that the company now sources its fuel needs from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

Kyari confirmed that NNPC has shifted away from importation and will source from local refiners, especially Dangote, according to BusinessDay reports.

Source: Legit

News

Police save abduct£d 14-month-old baby from nanny

Published

1 hour ago

November 16, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have successfully rescued a 14-month-old baby, Grace Osamagbe, who was abducted by her nanny, Rejoice Chukwu, in April.

Commissioner of Police Umoru Ozigi told newsmen on Saturday in Benin, that the Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Unit arrested Chukwu, 24, and her boyfriend, Destiny Uchechukwu, 28, in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom

According to Ozigi, the suspects abducted the child in Benin and collected a ransom of N160,000.

I lost my hands, girlfriend, dad’s landed properties survived depression; but I’m alive’0:00 / 0:00

“In spite of receiving the ransom, the suspects allegedly sold the baby for N500,000 to Doris Chiwendu in Owerri, Imo State.

“Following intense interrogation, police tracked down Chiwendu and another suspect, Jane Amaigbo, in Ubomiri, Imo State, and rescued the baby on November 9.”

The police commissioner explained that the suspects would soon be charged in court.

News

Ondo: Hoodlums attack INEC officials in Ogbagi Akoko, destr0y electoral materials, others

Published

2 hours ago

November 16, 2024

Naijablitznews

Some hoodlums have attacked and assaulted officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at Polling Unit 19, Ward 6 Ogbagi in the Akoko area of Ondo State in the ongoing governorship election in the state.

According to a video posted on social media, the Presiding Officer (PO) of the polling unit said that the attackers destroyed all the electoral materials at the polling unit, stole their phones and purses, and physically assaulted them.

The Presiding Officer, who said that the attack happened shortly after a PDP agent at the polling unit was arrested by the police for tearing votes, said that her Assistant Presiding Officer 1 (APO 1) she identified as Bello Samuel, had been missing since they were attacked.

Narrating what happened, the Presiding Officer said, “As the process of the election was going on, a party agent from PDP tore a vote without my consent. I don’t know his name because he had not indicated his name.

“I was trying to address him but he asked me to do my work. In order to resolve the matter, the Kabiyesi of the community (community leader) came but he (the PDP) agent was trying to tear another vote when the officers (police) at the polling unit called the DPO for his arrest.

“They (police) asked me what I wanted and I said he should be removed or the polling unit should be canceled. Then, he was arrested and the election continued.

“Unaware, we discovered a gang of people parking the election materials and they beat us up – I and my APOs. Even till now, I haven’t seen my APO 1, Bello Samuel by name.

“Our phones have been stolen with our purses, and all the electoral materials have been destroyed except the BVAS which I escaped with.”

She said that before the hoodlums attacked them, “I called SPO and the officers called the DPO. After that, I know nothing preserved by grace.”