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Lingering Fuel Crisis: CDHR Frowns At President Buhari’s Absence As Situation Causes Hardship, Cripples Businesses

The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR, has called on the federal government and relevant stakeholders to, as a matter of urgency, arrest the ugly situation of this lingering fuel crises which have subjected Nigerians to untold hardships.

The group noted that in the last few weeks, the genesis of the crisis was attributed to cases of adulterated fuel supply in to the country by unscrupulous element among the marketers with promises from regulatory agency to rectify the situation while it sanctioned the erring marketers.

In a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Idris Afees Olayinka, and made available to the National Association of Online Security Reporters (NAOSRE), the human rights group maintained that the situation hasn’t been positively effected as the scarcity of premium motor spirit now hits hard on Nigerians. He pointed out that the much expected 2.5 billion litres of PMS promised by the NNPC at the end of February has not yet corrected the situation as it is getting worse.

According to the statement, many filling stations are hoarding and not selling the product while there are long queues at the few stations selling the product at exorbitant prices not approved by the federal government and others prefer to sell at the black market.

The statement read in part: “CDHR gathered from different sources that the prices the filling stations are selling the product currently are more than the approved price of N165 a litre. Some petrol stations sold for between N200 to N250 per litre in Ilesha, Ife, Otan, Ila, Ede, Iwo, and Ikirun in Osun state. The same ugly situation is being experienced in kwara, Anambra, Bayelsa and in Kogi states. The black marketers sold the product between N400 and N500 a litre.

“The effects of the crisis now crippling businesses, inflating transport fares and prices of food items In Osun, Kwara and Kogi states residents decried hike in fares, which increased by over 100 per cent and exorbitant prices of food items. This situation has worsened activities of SME businesses, inflicting untold hardships on Nigerians and poor wellbeing.

“CDHR uses this medium to call on federal government and relevant stakeholders to arrest this ugly situations before it degenerates. The organization also uses this medium to remind President Muhammadu Buhari who also doubles as minister of Petroleum that the oath of office he took was not to abscond from duty when his attention is needed most,” CDHR lamented.

The group further stressed that President Buhari’s sojourn abroad for medical attention is the final statement of his failure when he cannot upgrade medical facility that will cater for the well being of himself and other citizens.

They therefore, urged the President to intensify efforts to relieve Nigerians of the hardships brought on them by the persistent fuel crisis as it is part of his Constitutional responsibility to see to the welfare of the people at this critical time.

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