The youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo has said the recent hike in petroleum pump price is as a result of several years of bad administration in the sector, absolving the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri of any blame.
The Ohanaeze Youth Wing said poor administration of the sector for years, which saw all the refineries in the country dormant for 28 years impacted stability, insisting that it is not a challenge that will be solved overnight.
In a statement on Thursday, the National Youth Leader, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Mazi Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu said the decay of infrastructure, especially pipelines and failure to manage storage facilities to support the efficient operation of the oil and gas sector have all resulted in the enormous problems Nigerians are faced with in terms of pricing and affordability.
He said, "Nigerians must ignore the narrative that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil) is responsible for the challenges they are facing at the moment. In as much we believe that some steps may ought to have been taken to mitigate these challenges, it must be put on record that the Minister is not solely responsible for the high cost of petroleum products, the scarcity and the economic hardship that has come along with it.
"There is a need for the repositioning of the oil industry especially by investigating the activities of the military and it's oversights in the oil sector before calling on the sack of the Minister of State for Petroleum, Lokpobiri Heineken."
The group has also pleaded with the federal government to look into the sufferings and hardship which the recent fuel price hike has created.
He added that, the need to revert new fuel prices is apparent as Nigerians may be unable to survive the tide.
"We believe that to solve this problem, the government must begin to reverse the trends and right the wrongs of the past. It will begin with the immediate introduction of measures to revamp and expand domestic refining capacity to reduce dependence on imported petroleum products and enhance energy security.
"Also, the successful completion of rehabilitation of port Harcourt refinery (Mechanical section) is a cheering news, which will not only increase product availability but fight the price instability the consumers have faced.
"Additionally, we do believe that progressive supervision and monitoring of Warri and Kaduna refinery rehabilitation works towards meeting schedule deadlines will be a step in the right direction", he stated.
Ohanaeze youths also called for continuous engagement with IOCs and NOCs in resolving industry disputes towards increasing production, resolutions of internal Joint venture contracts feud between joint ventures partners on critical productions fields, as well as engaging local communities with critical assets running through them to protect the assets all in a bid to decrease oil theft in the country.
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