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Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has listed total rehabilitation of the refineries, fuel depots and all oil/gas infrastructure as the solution to the lingering fuel crisis in the country.
The union particularly expressed concern about the attendant man-hours being lost by Nigerians queuing up at station stations across the country and challenged the Federal Government to rise to the task of bringing an end to what it described as “an embarrassing situation”.
According to PENGASSAN, it is time for the government to involve the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) in the rehabilitation and repair of the four refineries.
“Our refineries are due for a major expansion and ‘debottlenecking’, development of new strategies in ensuring adequate and sustainable crude supply to the refineries. Government should fast-track processes that will encourage private sector involvement in local refining,” said Francis Johnson, president of PENGASSAN, who led other unionists to talk with the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and Petroleum and Pipelines marketing Company (PPMC).
Addressing the managements of the agencies and some legislators during the visits, Johnson, however, praised their roles in ensuring that Nigerians were protected from feeling the pangs of the vagaries of global price regime of petroleum products, and prevented collusion and restrictive trade practices harmful in the sector.
Johnson said, “We want sustainable steps to be taken to end the persistent fuel crisis that has inflicted undue hardship on Nigerians. Let me reinstate our call for increase local refining by ensuring that the nation’s refineries work at maximum capacity.
“We are equally calling on the Federal Government to rehabilitate and upgrade all depots in the country, while there is need to carry out an overhaul of all pipeline networks to ease distribution and supply of petroleum products.”
The union also advised the government to address the issue of surrounding the integrity of pipelines by repairing and replacing damaged pipelines to enhance supply of crudes to refineries and export terminals as well as distribution of refined products to all the depots.
“We have to reinstate that unless there is increase in the government’s commitment not only to maintain but also to rehabilitate and repair as well as replace ageing and ruptured pipelines, there will continue to be challenges with the distribution and supply of petroleum products to all parts of the country.
“This will also negatively impact on local refining due to inadequate supply of crude through the pipelines to the refineries. The dream of gas to power, and domestic and industrial gas development policies of the Government will be unrealised.
“The NNPC and security agencies should ensure security of lives of staff of PPMC/NPSC/SML in oil and gas installations, as they are always at the frontline of repairing damaged pipelines and protect pipelines from being vandalised. There should be improved surveillance with the use of modern technology, adequate implementation of pipeline right of ways and location of security agencies’ offices in “black spots” along pipelines,” Johnson said.
JOSHUA BASSEY
