The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations has decried the persistent fuel scarcity being experienced in the and blamed major oil marketers for continued buildup of queues in the nations filling stations.
Briefing newsmen in Abuja, President of the group Osabinu Olufemi said the continued act of sabotage, by some Oil marketers in the country, has continued, to undermine, every effort to make petroleum products available to Nigerians, especially at this critical period close to the general elections.
The coalition comprising of over 200 organizations, had earlier planned a shutdown protest, against the federal government and particularly, the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, over the agonizing state of fuel Scarcity in the country.
“Our latest position follows the continued presence of long queues in filling stations across the country resulting from fuel scarcity, a development that has made some retail outlets to indulge in all manner of sharp practices at the expense of innocent Nigerians.
“It is disturbing, that oil marketers are hell-bent on destabilizing the country and hood winking the Federal government into the reintroduction of the subsidy regime.
“We have no doubt, that the fuel scarcity is artificial as well as being the handiwork of those running the oil and gas downstream to foist their exploitative interest on Nigeria’s National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) through subsidy regime and price increase.
“It is glaring to all Nigerians that the downstream industry players have made up their minds to sabotage effort of government at all cost. This is why they’re hoarding fuel at filling stations across the country, despite the available record of stock and supply, by the NNPC, up to the present moment.
“We hereby urge the management of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) not to acquiesce to the demand of those marketers, saying, the time of allowing few oil cabals to hijack the destiny of Nigerians had passed.” He said.
The group confirmed that it has shelved its earlier planned protest, based on fact findings and thorough Independent Investigation into the actual cause of this sad situation.
Osabinu noted that the group will in the next few days continue its consultation with critical stakeholders in the petroleum sector, private sector, civil society and media, to further expose issues around the troubling fuel scarcity in the country during their planned series of citizens town hall engagements on a date to be announced soon.