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NNPC Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari
By Anthony Maliki
The Executive Chairman of Skymark Energy and Power, Alhaji Muhammad Saleh-Hassan, has called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to thread with caution regarding its recent threat of a mass revolt over the prevailing fuel scarcity and poor electricity supply in the country.
The NLC recently in a statement by its President, Ayuba Wabba, warned that the current energy crisis could lead to a revolt if the Federal Government failed to proffer immediate solution the socioeconomic implications and hardship caused wthe crisis.
Reacting to the NLC’s statement, Hassan at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, called on Nigerians not to listen to such a call, stressing that a revolt was not the solution to the problem.
The Skymark Energy and Power chairman stressed that the NLC’s insinuation smacked of its insincerity with the facts and factors that led to the current energy crisis in the country.
Saleh-Hassan said, “The NLC is not fair to itself and Nigerians by issuing a warning to the Federal Government and talking of mass revolt. This is unfair to the government, Nigerians and themselves as well.
“How can they call for revolt in this kind of situation? Is revolt the way out? Are they not part of the people that pushed government into the situation by saying no to subsidy removal? The call for revolt doesn’t make sense at all.
“If Nigeria was not paying for subsidy, we would benefit from it since the price of crude oil has increased globally. This is because we can use proceeds from crude oil to develop infrastructure. But as it is now, government is servicing loans obtained to pay for subsidy.
“The NLC should first of all go and interact with the stakeholders in the oil sector and the market to have a proper understanding of the situation to be able to act on the real facts of the matter but not just to call for revolt. Nigerians should not listen to such a call because that is not the solution.
“After all, President Buhari is trying his best to ensure that Nigerians do not suffer. He is concerned about the situation. He has apologised to Nigerians over the crisis in the energy sector and assured of a lasting solution. So, NLC should be reasonable enough and view the situation globally and be lenient.”
Saleh-Hassan further pointed out that the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleoum Corporation, NNPC, Malam Mele Kyari, had done very well by applying proactive measures in curbing the fuel scarcity situation.
“He has mandated 48 fuel stations in Abuja to sell fuel for 48 hours. That is why fuel queues have started reducing. Everybody can see that the formula is working.
“He has also collaborated with security agencies with a view to ensuring that the product is not diverted but supplied to fuel stations accordingly and dispensed to the public, especially due to the black market situation.
“Malam Kyari has also made efforts to stabilise the fuel price. He has issued a warning to fuel stations to sell at the normal price and that anybody selling above it would be prosecuted. He has also ordered a crackdown on black marketers menace that is encouraging the scarcity.”
The oil and gas sector stakeholder commended the Federal Government’s efforts towards curbing the outrageous hike in the price of fuel, in spite of the scarcity.
“Globally, the price is about N760.00 per litre. As it is, it is cheaper in Nigeria, where it is sold at N165/N168 and N200 at the black market.
“President Muhammadu Buhari and Malam Kyari deserve an applause from Nigerians for ensuring such relatively low prices, in spite of the global rise in price of the product,” he said.
According to SalehHassan, the crisis in the energy sector, particularly the fuel scarcity, is a global phenomenon, adding that Nigeria is not an exception.
“The prices of petroleum have risen all over the world. The scarcity is not only in Nigeria but all over the world, especially because of the ongoing Russia-Nigeria war. Though there had been fuel scarcity in Nigeria before the war, it aggravated it.
“The reason is that refined products usually come through Eastern Europe and other European countries. The slow movement of cargoes in those particular areas is the major cause of the scarcity now.
The Skymark Energy and Power boss, however, assured that with the Federal Government’s efforts so far, the current energy crisis in the country would soon come to an end.
