FreeGlobe:

Fuel was never sold 400 naira per litre during PDP's 16 year rule. Buhari is a disaster. The worst president ever

u must b a fool 4 buying fuel @ #400/ltr instead of d official price of #87 & come to NL & complain,is it d president that sold fuel 2 u @ that price?u are aiding corruption.

But you didn't notice when Oshimole kept kissing up to GEJ in the last dispensation?

philips70:


I am not happy in any way. Am sad a party that is supposed to be a formidable opposition decided to be fooling themselves around, releasing spurious press releases on daily basis like some confused bunch. Time is ticking for you guys, if you don't do away with Metuh and Secondus I bet you before the end of next year only Fayose, Wike, Mimiko and Ikpeazu will be PDP governors. Many of your elected members are presently ashamed of the party and that is what you just see played out here. They are instead seeing a purposeful leadership in president Buhari and are ready to join him in moving the country forward.
Still we need a formidable, responsible and serious opposition which the PDP right now is a far cry from.

20pounds:



Don't get worked up over nothing. The PDP is a very unserious party. Check out Akpabio clowning in the Senate. Ike Ekweremadu reaping whre he did not sow and keeping silent.

Kogi is leaving PDP. Cross River will soon join. Taraba too! PDP as a party is dying. That is why GEJ and all serious members have left them to their own devices.

When the opposition begins to rub the back of the party in power, then we are headed to a one-party state. PDP is dead! C'est finis

That is correct,it is only foolish,touts,killers,drugbaron,jokers,unsound fellows like fayose,fkk,kashamu,metuh,wike that will remain.

Jaideyone:
mugu were u in.coma when radio stations were shutting down cos there was no fuel to power generators? was the country not at a standstill for several days before Buhari took over?

That is true!i hav 4gotten completely.

IsraeliAIRFORCE:


Why have you chosen to deceive yourself?

Goodluck Jonathan created the enlarged middle class as we have them today. Most of the people shouting I need fuel for my car are majority whose economy were "bettered" by implementation of minimum wage and open economy.

In 6 months of Buhari's administration everything is crumbling and people are hungry.


The poorest of them all is dwindling circulation of money in the society hence the poor are stranded and the artisans are out of job.

Keep deluding yourself on the internet when the reality in the real world for the poor on Nigerian streets is hopelessness hence pityful.

This is a very big lie, the enlarged middle class was created during Obasanjo, let's be careful about how we dish out information.

Btruth:
As a strong supporter and member of APC, I will not support the extinction of PDP. Never! It could be dangerous to check and balances in the ruling party into going to anarchy. Let there be PDP, PDB, PDG, anything PDsometing abeg!

Why are u ashame 2 call yursef PDP that is how peter denied jezuuz!pdp is not really an opposition party but a frusrated wailing jackals.

IsraeliAIRFORCE:


The death rate among the poor in the rural areas in Nigeria is setting new record level everyday and to worsen the whole situation the help that previously comes from their relations from cities have ceased.

Remember, there is nothing more painful than death from hunger and death occasioned by inability to pay deposit for medical treatment to commence.

Can we have some proof of these?

akwana:
@OP, At this rate you will soon be forgotten in your family. Accept change from your family in order not to end like PDP.

Look Nigerians are hungry. The change we see is hunger.

FreeGlobe:
I'm surprised for okowa but the Governor of Cross River is a traitor, sellout and must be expelled by PDP Soonest. PDP must not make the mistake of keeping governors who are not loyal to the party. I can bet Cross River governor will be the first to defect to APC.

You are so on point, I don't really comprehend what have come over that short man Ayade.

philips70:


I am not happy in any way. Am sad a party that is supposed to be a formidable opposition decided to be fooling themselves around, releasing spurious press releases on daily basis like some confused bunch. Time is ticking for you guys, if you don't do away with Metuh and Secondus I bet you before the end of next year only Fayose, Wike, Mimiko and Ikpeazu will be PDP governors. Many of your elected members are presently ashamed of the party and that is what you just see played out here. They are instead seeing a purposeful leadership in president Buhari and are ready to join him in moving the country forward.
Still we need a formidable, responsible and serious opposition which the PDP right now is a far cry from.

we are all in NL, we will see how far lies & propangada will take your party/ administration to.

palladin:
Pdp m

I want to blog about your aptitude test app. Pm me

FreeGlobe:

Fuel was never sold 400 naira per litre during PDP's 16 year rule. Buhari is a disaster. The worst president ever

My guy find anoda LIE because we can't forget so soon how fuel were sold 500naira per litre in Jonathans era.

nelandrewz:


My guy find anoda LIE because we can't forget so soon how fuel were sold 500naira per litre in Jonathans era.

Fuel got expensive after Jonathan lost and the Marketers felt they won't get paid. Let the truth be told!

WATCH VIDEO
https://web.facebook.com/EdmarkHealthyLivingProduct/videos/1223318707684065/

PassingShot:
Lalasticlala, please let the NL wailers realize that they're fighting a lost battle daily on this forum.

The worst of Buhari will still be better than 16 years of PDP rule which left Nigeria battered.

Yes, the worst of an old man with decaying brain and no direction, who is embracing all policies and vision laid down by his "clueless" predecessor!

nobody begs u to vote GEJ or any political party , ur vote is ur choice what we are saying is when u raise people Hope with empty propaganders and they turn back to blame time ur just waisting ur time from yaradua to GEJ we never had fuel crisis until may this year when people wanted to Rubbish GEJ administration when he cried out for help ur tourist president called him clueless and claimed that nobody can do that to a sitting president and today what did ur Pmb do while d ship is avoiding d rock , he abandons it and tour while people cry wake up look beyound politics be objective I support perfomance and not Mediocry don't be decieve good or bad we are in it together and d harder , the sweeter we will be here.
But don't cos u have ur different opinion come on the net to insult anyone nobody is ur Houseboy and everyone is Entitled to His / Her opinion good/bad

Jaideyone:
in your quest to rubbish my point you foolishly assumed I'm the type that still depends on mummy to buy a pair of socks. very dumb of you I must say. you totally avoided the points I raised. Jonathan had 6yrs to fix this country but he failed. He had 6yrs to stop the oil marketers from holding us to ransom but he failed. he had 6yrs to provide jobs, stable power and diversify the economy while the price of crude was high but he failed. only two candidates stood a chance of winning the election. we picked the better candidate. fuel sold for as high as 800naira per liter in the black market may this year. that's 5yrs into Jonathan's government. he couldn't fix the problem in 5 yrs so why should we foolishly give him 4more years? this is just 6month into Buhari's tenure and some dimwits like you desperately want us to believe we had it better under the clueless one. sorry bro you've failed. if the elections are repeated tomorrow I will still vote Buhari again. all the hardship we face right now are the results of Jonathan's failure. most of the 400b subsidy debt are from Jonathan's time as president. The country was on standstill a few days to may29 just because your clueless hero ran out of ideas. save your bare-faced lies for gullible wailers like yourself

FreeGlobe:



Provide your proof, I have mine. I repeat fuel never sold for N400 naira per litre during PDP's 16 years

Fuel sell fr N400 under Buhari but under Jonathan banks and business activities paralysed during his tenure because fuel scarcity bite harder. Please take time and read this, don't be too lazy not to read and don't give conclusion before you finish reading.

Fuel scarcity, power ground Nigeria

BABA NEGEDU, Kaduna; Olaide Oyelude, Ibadan; BOLU-OLU ESHO, Abeokuta; OWOLOLA ADEBOLA; TOYIN ADEBAYO,Abuja May 26, 2015 Latest News, News Comments Off on Fuel scarcity, power ground Nigeria 52 Views
Various reactions have been trailing the biting fuel and diesel scarcity being witnessed virtually in all parts of the country.

In Kaduna, there was palpable anger and frustration on the faces of residents as people woke up to another day of empty filling stations in some areas and long queues at others.

The situation was also compounded by the persistent total blackout in many parts of the metropolis and environs as some residents have not seen power from PHCN for up to four days running.

Though the fuel scarcity has been on-going on and off for weeks, the astronomical increase in price at many of the stations mainly independent marketers from between N120-N135 per litre last week to between N150-N170 per litre took many by surprise.

Many commuters were also surprised by the immediate attendant increase in transportation fares within the town as a trip that normally costs between N50-60 is now between N90-100.

This is even as the illegal black marketers continue to thrive on the streets of the metropolis brandishing their jerry-cans and illegal petroleum products which now sells for not less than N200 per litre.

Our correspondent gathered that many of the filling stations are in alliance with the illegal black marketers as many of them prefer to sell to black marketers while motorists and motorcyclists queue in vain.

Majority of the commercial banks within the metropolis and environs shut their doors to customers between 1-2p.m while some prevented customers from coming into the banking hall as early as 12:30 pm yesterday.

Newswatch Times gathered that the blackout coupled with their inability to get diesel to power their system was responsible for the early closure of their branches.

A source in one of the banks also volunteered that they have been unable to conduct any serious business as network issues joined the prevailing situation to make business uncomfortable hence the need to close early.

Asked to comment on the situation in the country, Joshua Paul a resident of Kaduna lamented that, “we cannot continue like this, what type of country is this, we have oil but there is no fuel in the filling stations. For up to three days now we have not seen light in my area, this is very bad,” he said.

According to him, governments in Nigeria are always taken the people for granted and charged the incoming APC government to rise up to the occasion and solve the crisis before it gets out of hand.

The University of Ibadan yesterday directed its students to proceed on a two -week semester break, ordering them to resume on Sunday, 7 June. The break does not affect other non-teaching activities on campus.

A terse statement by the University’s Director of Public Communications, Mr. Olatunji Oladejo declared “at its emergency meeting held on Monday, 25 May, 2015 the Committee of Provost, Deans and Directors considered the current situation in the country as it affects the running of the University vis-a-vis lack of fuel to generate electricity. The Committee advised the Vice Chancellor, who accepted and directed on behalf of the Senate, that students should go on a two-week mid-semester break from Monday, 25 May, 2015.”

Oladejo quoted the Registrar, Mr. Olujimi Olukoya in a University’s Special Bulletin that lectures would resume on Monday, 8 June, 2015. The students were expected to vacate their various halls by press time yesterday.

Government, business and social activities were yesterday grounded in Ogun State capital, Abepkuta as a result of the lingering fuel crisis across the country.

Visits to Oke-Ilewo business district of the state capital revealed that most of the financial institutions only operated at lower ebb. Most commercial banks stopped attending to customers between 12 p.m and 1:00p.m.

United Bank of Africa (UBA) branch offices along Onikolobo and Ita-Eko roads didn’t open for business, but Sterling Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Skye Bank were among those that closed at noon.

They had earlier sent bulk messages to their customers informing them on their decisions to close at noon.

A customer of Guaranty Trust Bank, Badejo Omodara, who could not access the bank at Oke-Ilewo after 1:00 pm denied receiving the bulk message sent to the customers on plan to close early.

He said: “I did not receive any information to that effect, I only got there before 1pm, then I was told that the bank has closed for the day due to bad signals from the headquarters and ‎inability to get diesel to power generators. But, I can tell you that I am really disappointed and angry because I trekked to the bank with the hope that I will cash some money, but no money, I have to trek back home.”

Visits to Federal and state governments’ secretariats at Oke-Mosan in Abeokuta revealed that a large number of members of staff didn’t turn up in the office.

A member of staff at the Federal secretariat at Oke-Mosan in Abeokuta, Oluyede Akeem disclosed that “quite a number of staff in the secretariat did not even come to work, me that came to office today, I did not have petrol to fuel my car and I had to join a friend who dropped me by road side ‎today, I think I have to trek back home if I did not seen any cab that takes me home.”

Also, no fewer than three banks announced early closure of activities yesterday due to epileptic power resulting from fuel crisis that has seized the country for over two weeks. One of the banks that made the announcement was GTBank. The bank in the early hours of yesterday said it was shutting branches early due to a lack of fuel. The announcement was coming out in the latest sign of shortages hitting businesses across the country.

“The current shortage of petroleum products in the country has limited our ability to supply diesel to all our branches in order to continue normal branch operations,” GT Bank said in a statement on Twitter.

“Due to this we unavoidably have to close our branches nationwide at 1pm (1200 GMT) from Monday 25th May, 2015,”it said.

Guaranty Trust Bank plc has branches across Nigeria, as well as Anglophone and Francophone West Africa, East Africa and Britain, with an overall staff of more than 10,000.

Other banks that towed the line include Diamond and Access. However, the banks could make an early reversal as truce was said to have finally been brokered between the out-going government and the oil marketers.

The country has been brought to a virtual standstill by fuel shortages, caused by an apparent row between the outgoing government and importers, as well as strikes by petrol tanker drivers and oil and gas workers.

Reacting to the situation, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to wake up to its responsibilities and check the excesses of petroleum marketers who in the past weeks have held the economy of the country and its people to ransom following its refusal to supply petroleum products across the country and whose actions had escalated the sufferings of Nigerians.

In a statement yesterday, the labour movement who made the call through its National President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said: “The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has watched with utter disgust and dismay how business and commercial activities in the country have been brought literally to a halt as a result of the activities of a mindless and cruel cabal that has taken absolute grip of the petroleum import business.

“Clearly, the objective of the cabal in the current impasse is to arm-twist the Federal Government to part with billions of dollars, which it had not earned, in the name of fuel subsidy payments. More curious, however, is the fact that the Federal Government has allowed this cabal to continue to hold the entire country to ransom thereby escalating the regime of impunity and unimaginable corruption which had taken complete hold of the operations of our petroleum sector causing the country to lose billions of dollars over the years.

“As Mr. President has had cause to remind Nigerians in the weeks following the March 28, 2015 Presidential election, that he was still in charge of running the country, the NLC hereby call on him to take firm and decisive action by calling to order all those in the petroleum sector that have one way or the other brought this crisis upon the nation. The implicit message in such a definitive action will show that no one – business men and women and their collaborators, in and out of government – is strong enough to hold the entire people of Nigeria and its government to ransom.”

The NLC, therefore, noted that in the few days remaining of Jonathan’s tenure, it is inherent for him to pinpoint the officers in his government who have failed so spectacularly in performing their duties which has led to the current mess.

“Given that Mr. President has been very active of recent in the sacking and appointment of officers to less significant functionaries of government; we expect him to within these few days carry out a quick investigation on the matter which should identify the officers behind the current situation and hand them over to the incoming administration to further investigate and made to face the law.”

It also charged the outgoing administration to blacklist private sector companies involved in the massive blackmail of Nigerians and ensure that their licenses are revoked as a punitive measure to serve as deterrent to operators who are nursing the ambition of toeing same line of action.

Raising a fundamental questions the workers’ umbrella union said, “The ugly experience of Nigerians in the last four or so weeks regarding this fuel scarcity raises a few questions. What happened to our

old habit of maintaining “a





strategic national reserve”? The action of the players in the petroleum sectors a subtle plot to force the hands of the incoming administration to forcibly deregulate the petroleum sector, and compound the hardship of Nigerians through the increase in the prices of petroleum products?”

It, however, stated that as organized labour, it has maintained its position that “government has no excuse not to ensure that our four refineries with combined capacity to refine 450 thousand barrels per day to function and operate to full capacity.

“We refuse to accept that as a nation so dependent on the petroleum sector, that Nigeria is incapable of building and effectively maintaining refineries to refine all the petroleum products it needs internally and more, so that we are able to satisfy our internal consumption needs and export finished products with value addiction along the chain, to earn additional foreign exchange for the nation.

Sympathizing with Nigerians over the suffering they have been made to go through over the past few weeks, the movement called on Nigerians and Nigerian workers to persevere and avoid any action that can affect a smooth transition from President Jonathan’s administration to the new one scheduled to happen on May 29, 2015.

In another development, the body assured of its readiness to engage the incoming government as soon as it is sworn in, to dialogue on a more permanent basis, the problems which had brought the petroleum sector on its knees.

Among the issues the NLC breakdown include, “the NLC will engage the new government on, as far as the petroleum sector is concerned, are: The implementation of the Farouk Lawan’s House of Representatives Report on the Petroleum Sector, the Implementation of the Nuhu Ribadu Committee Report Implementation of the Senate Committee on Finance on the Alleged Unremitted US$49.8 billion Oil Revenue by the NNPC Review of the Audit Report by PricewaterhouseCooper.”

It said that the NLC was hopeful that the incoming administration, with the experience of the President-elect in the petroleum industry, will help usher in an era of patriotic and nationalist orientation, as well as tighten areas of leakages and fraudulent practices which it said had deprived the country of billions of dollars in earnings into the federation account.

Should our optimism of a new era for our country in the oil sector become unrealisable, we shall follow in the footsteps of our forebears, and defend the interest of Nigerian workers and the Nigerian masses as a whole.

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) in its part, made a passionate appeal to the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the striking National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to put national interest above all other interests and rescue the economy from collapse by resuming the importation, lifting and transportation of petroleum products.

Director General of NOA, Mike Omeri stressed that a prolonged strike action by the independent oil marketers will harm the economy.

He made this known in a statement made available to Newswatch Times in Abuja by the agency Assistant Director (Press) Mr Paul Odenyi stated that the both IPMAN and NUPENG has made their point and urged them to presently cooperate with the relevant government authorities to ensure that the present hardship being encountered by the citizenry is halted.

According to him, IPMAN should show understanding even as the country is on the verge of transition from one administration to another and contribute their quota to making this transition as smooth as possible by resuming normal operations.

He further stated that this is not the right way to welcome the in-coming administration. The transition calls for patriotism and national solidarity from all Nigerians in every sector of the economy.

The skeletal and eventual cessation of operations by the two major bodies of operators in the petroleum industry has plunged Nigerians into over four weeks of hardship as refined petroleum products including Premium Motor Spirit, Automotive Gas Oil, Dual Purpose Kerosine and Jet A have been in short supply, making production and economic activities difficult.

The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, has called on oil and gas workers, just ending a strike action, to quickly take remedial steps to restore gas supply to the nation’s power stations, in the national interest.

Nebo observed that the negative effect of the strike on power supply was inevitable, since up to 70 percent of generation is coming from gas-fired stations, pending the harvest of electricity from the enormous work already done by government and private sector investors, on new large hydros and other renewables.

The minister said the oil workers’ action which cut-off of gas supply to power stations, on the heels of recent repairs on vandalized gas pipelines, had reduced actual power generation to unprecedented levels in the past week.

The minister explained that the current power generation capacity of the country stood at 7,000 MW, constrained by transmission infrastructure to about 6,000 MW.

Nebo said that with total generation rising to 4,500 megawatts in October 2014, with a potential to get up to 5,500 megawatts from gas-fired and hydro power plants, the current energy crisis which had reduced power generation to about 1,400 MW was avoidable and painful.

He commended the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources for measures taken to resolve issues with its labour unions, to prevent the nationwide energy crisis from getting worse.

According to Nebo, the responsibility of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to provide gas for power needs to be consistently fulfilled, to fire the nation’s power stations.

Nebo particularly appealed to oil and gas workers, including staff of the Nigerian Gas Company, to speedily work towards clearing the backlog of gas supplies to power plants, in order to alleviate the excruciating pains on Nigerians, and the overall effect of the just-ended strike action on the nation’s economy and other human endeavours.

The minister said it had become necessary to draw the attention of Nigerians to the fact that the strike by both senior and junior staff unions of the NNPC, (NUPENG and PENGASSAN) had resulted in the shutdown of major gas plants, including UTOROGU, CHEVRON OREDO, and OBEN in the western axis, while UGHELLI and CNL ESCRAVOS are all isolated already.

This and the shutdown of Shell Gas, ALAKIRI on the eastern axis, he explained, had caused several power plants to become stranded and compelled to shut down. These include: EGBIN, OLORUNSHOGO I & 11, OMOTOSHO 1& 11, GEREGU I & 11, IHONVOR and SAPELE (NIPP) on the western axis and ALAOJI on the eastern end.

According to the minister, the overall effect of the workers’ action is that power supply, which had started picking up at the beginning of last week, following repairs of various vandalized portions of the Trans-Forcados Pipeline has fallen to all-time unprecedented low, making life unbearable for Nigerians.

He reiterated that the reforms implemented recently in the power sector had given the nation a generation capacity of 5,500mw and a transmission capacity of up to 6,000mw, excluding embedded power and solar-generated energy from public and private sector – driven initiatives.

Nebo, however, expressed confidence in the ability of the incoming administration to address the current grievances of the workers and other stakeholders in the oil and gas sector, and urged them to patiently wait for that to happen.

He further stated that the double challenge of fuel scarcity and darkness, under which Nigerians were groaning, was uncalled for, seeing that government had put measures in place to prevent such hardship.

Former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida has expressed concern over the growing spate of fuel scarcity in the country while debunking aspersions that the outgoing government is behind the cause of the scarcity of fuel.

Fielding questions from Newsmen yesterday in Minna, Babangida called on the people to be understanding and support the measures taken by the government to put an end to this problem stressing that government is doing all it can to bring an end to this fuel scarcity.

The former President said, “I am as concerned as you are about this problem as everyone is. I want Nigerians to support the incoming government in whatever measures it takes to provide solution to the problem on ground.

“Government is doing all it can to make sure this problem comes to an end. We should endeavour to support them during this period.”

It would be noted that the current fuel scarcity have crippled the economy of the nation as most organizations are being forced to shut down due to their inability to get disel and fuel to run their generating sets. Banks, telecommunications, media houses have been affected.

Most filling stations in the South are selling for as high as N400 per litre while in the North, fuel is being sold for N250 to N300 per litre.

mideactive:
Dis ur news nor get date






quote author=FreeGlobe post=40434072]


Provide your proof, I have mine. I repeat fuel never sold for N400 naira per litre during PDP's 16 years

Fuel scarcity, power ground Nigeria

Please don't be lazy to read this, it provides answer to your lies

BABA NEGEDU, Kaduna; Olaide Oyelude, Ibadan; BOLU-OLU ESHO, Abeokuta; OWOLOLA ADEBOLA; TOYIN ADEBAYO,Abuja May 26, 2015 Latest News, News Comments Off on Fuel scarcity, power ground Nigeria 52 Views
Various reactions have been trailing the biting fuel and diesel scarcity being witnessed virtually in all parts of the country.

In Kaduna, there was palpable anger and frustration on the faces of residents as people woke up to another day of empty filling stations in some areas and long queues at others.

The situation was also compounded by the persistent total blackout in many parts of the metropolis and environs as some residents have not seen power from PHCN for up to four days running.

Though the fuel scarcity has been on-going on and off for weeks, the astronomical increase in price at many of the stations mainly independent marketers from between N120-N135 per litre last week to between N150-N170 per litre took many by surprise.

Many commuters were also surprised by the immediate attendant increase in transportation fares within the town as a trip that normally costs between N50-60 is now between N90-100.

This is even as the illegal black marketers continue to thrive on the streets of the metropolis brandishing their jerry-cans and illegal petroleum products which now sells for not less than N200 per litre.

Our correspondent gathered that many of the filling stations are in alliance with the illegal black marketers as many of them prefer to sell to black marketers while motorists and motorcyclists queue in vain.

Majority of the commercial banks within the metropolis and environs shut their doors to customers between 1-2p.m while some prevented customers from coming into the banking hall as early as 12:30 pm yesterday.

Newswatch Times gathered that the blackout coupled with their inability to get diesel to power their system was responsible for the early closure of their branches.

A source in one of the banks also volunteered that they have been unable to conduct any serious business as network issues joined the prevailing situation to make business uncomfortable hence the need to close early.

Asked to comment on the situation in the country, Joshua Paul a resident of Kaduna lamented that, “we cannot continue like this, what type of country is this, we have oil but there is no fuel in the filling stations. For up to three days now we have not seen light in my area, this is very bad,” he said.

According to him, governments in Nigeria are always taken the people for granted and charged the incoming APC government to rise up to the occasion and solve the crisis before it gets out of hand.

The University of Ibadan yesterday directed its students to proceed on a two -week semester break, ordering them to resume on Sunday, 7 June. The break does not affect other non-teaching activities on campus.

A terse statement by the University’s Director of Public Communications, Mr. Olatunji Oladejo declared “at its emergency meeting held on Monday, 25 May, 2015 the Committee of Provost, Deans and Directors considered the current situation in the country as it affects the running of the University vis-a-vis lack of fuel to generate electricity. The Committee advised the Vice Chancellor, who accepted and directed on behalf of the Senate, that students should go on a two-week mid-semester break from Monday, 25 May, 2015.”

Oladejo quoted the Registrar, Mr. Olujimi Olukoya in a University’s Special Bulletin that lectures would resume on Monday, 8 June, 2015. The students were expected to vacate their various halls by press time yesterday.

Government, business and social activities were yesterday grounded in Ogun State capital, Abepkuta as a result of the lingering fuel crisis across the country.

Visits to Oke-Ilewo business district of the state capital revealed that most of the financial institutions only operated at lower ebb. Most commercial banks stopped attending to customers between 12 p.m and 1:00p.m.

United Bank of Africa (UBA) branch offices along Onikolobo and Ita-Eko roads didn’t open for business, but Sterling Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Skye Bank were among those that closed at noon.

They had earlier sent bulk messages to their customers informing them on their decisions to close at noon.

A customer of Guaranty Trust Bank, Badejo Omodara, who could not access the bank at Oke-Ilewo after 1:00 pm denied receiving the bulk message sent to the customers on plan to close early.

He said: “I did not receive any information to that effect, I only got there before 1pm, then I was told that the bank has closed for the day due to bad signals from the headquarters and ‎inability to get diesel to power generators. But, I can tell you that I am really disappointed and angry because I trekked to the bank with the hope that I will cash some money, but no money, I have to trek back home.”

Visits to Federal and state governments’ secretariats at Oke-Mosan in Abeokuta revealed that a large number of members of staff didn’t turn up in the office.

A member of staff at the Federal secretariat at Oke-Mosan in Abeokuta, Oluyede Akeem disclosed that “quite a number of staff in the secretariat did not even come to work, me that came to office today, I did not have petrol to fuel my car and I had to join a friend who dropped me by road side ‎today, I think I have to trek back home if I did not seen any cab that takes me home.”

Also, no fewer than three banks announced early closure of activities yesterday due to epileptic power resulting from fuel crisis that has seized the country for over two weeks. One of the banks that made the announcement was GTBank. The bank in the early hours of yesterday said it was shutting branches early due to a lack of fuel. The announcement was coming out in the latest sign of shortages hitting businesses across the country.

“The current shortage of petroleum products in the country has limited our ability to supply diesel to all our branches in order to continue normal branch operations,” GT Bank said in a statement on Twitter.

“Due to this we unavoidably have to close our branches nationwide at 1pm (1200 GMT) from Monday 25th May, 2015,”it said.

Guaranty Trust Bank plc has branches across Nigeria, as well as Anglophone and Francophone West Africa, East Africa and Britain, with an overall staff of more than 10,000.

Other banks that towed the line include Diamond and Access. However, the banks could make an early reversal as truce was said to have finally been brokered between the out-going government and the oil marketers.

The country has been brought to a virtual standstill by fuel shortages, caused by an apparent row between the outgoing government and importers, as well as strikes by petrol tanker drivers and oil and gas workers.

Reacting to the situation, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to wake up to its responsibilities and check the excesses of petroleum marketers who in the past weeks have held the economy of the country and its people to ransom following its refusal to supply petroleum products across the country and whose actions had escalated the sufferings of Nigerians.

In a statement yesterday, the labour movement who made the call through its National President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said: “The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has watched with utter disgust and dismay how business and commercial activities in the country have been brought literally to a halt as a result of the activities of a mindless and cruel cabal that has taken absolute grip of the petroleum import business.

“Clearly, the objective of the cabal in the current impasse is to arm-twist the Federal Government to part with billions of dollars, which it had not earned, in the name of fuel subsidy payments. More curious, however, is the fact that the Federal Government has allowed this cabal to continue to hold the entire country to ransom thereby escalating the regime of impunity and unimaginable corruption which had taken complete hold of the operations of our petroleum sector causing the country to lose billions of dollars over the years.

“As Mr. President has had cause to remind Nigerians in the weeks following the March 28, 2015 Presidential election, that he was still in charge of running the country, the NLC hereby call on him to take firm and decisive action by calling to order all those in the petroleum sector that have one way or the other brought this crisis upon the nation. The implicit message in such a definitive action will show that no one – business men and women and their collaborators, in and out of government – is strong enough to hold the entire people of Nigeria and its government to ransom.”

The NLC, therefore, noted that in the few days remaining of Jonathan’s tenure, it is inherent for him to pinpoint the officers in his government who have failed so spectacularly in performing their duties which has led to the current mess.

“Given that Mr. President has been very active of recent in the sacking and appointment of officers to less significant functionaries of government; we expect him to within these few days carry out a quick investigation on the matter which should identify the officers behind the current situation and hand them over to the incoming administration to further investigate and made to face the law.”

It also charged the outgoing administration to blacklist private sector companies involved in the massive blackmail of Nigerians and ensure that their licenses are revoked as a punitive measure to serve as deterrent to operators who are nursing the ambition of toeing same line of action.

Raising a fundamental questions the workers’ umbrella union said, “The ugly experience of Nigerians in the last four or so weeks regarding this fuel scarcity raises a few questions. What happened to our

old habit of maintaining “a





strategic national reserve”? The action of the players in the petroleum sectors a subtle plot to force the hands of the incoming administration to forcibly deregulate the petroleum sector, and compound the hardship of Nigerians through the increase in the prices of petroleum products?”

It, however, stated that as organized labour, it has maintained its position that “government has no excuse not to ensure that our four refineries with combined capacity to refine 450 thousand barrels per day to function and operate to full capacity.

“We refuse to accept that as a nation so dependent on the petroleum sector, that Nigeria is incapable of building and effectively maintaining refineries to refine all the petroleum products it needs internally and more, so that we are able to satisfy our internal consumption needs and export finished products with value addiction along the chain, to earn additional foreign exchange for the nation.

Sympathizing with Nigerians over the suffering they have been made to go through over the past few weeks, the movement called on Nigerians and Nigerian workers to persevere and avoid any action that can affect a smooth transition from President Jonathan’s administration to the new one scheduled to happen on May 29, 2015.

In another development, the body assured of its readiness to engage the incoming government as soon as it is sworn in, to dialogue on a more permanent basis, the problems which had brought the petroleum sector on its knees.

Among the issues the NLC breakdown include, “the NLC will engage the new government on, as far as the petroleum sector is concerned, are: The implementation of the Farouk Lawan’s House of Representatives Report on the Petroleum Sector, the Implementation of the Nuhu Ribadu Committee Report Implementation of the Senate Committee on Finance on the Alleged Unremitted US$49.8 billion Oil Revenue by the NNPC Review of the Audit Report by PricewaterhouseCooper.”

It said that the NLC was hopeful that the incoming administration, with the experience of the President-elect in the petroleum industry, will help usher in an era of patriotic and nationalist orientation, as well as tighten areas of leakages and fraudulent practices which it said had deprived the country of billions of dollars in earnings into the federation account.

Should our optimism of a new era for our country in the oil sector become unrealisable, we shall follow in the footsteps of our forebears, and defend the interest of Nigerian workers and the Nigerian masses as a whole.

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) in its part, made a passionate appeal to the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the striking National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to put national interest above all other interests and rescue the economy from collapse by resuming the importation, lifting and transportation of petroleum products.

Director General of NOA, Mike Omeri stressed that a prolonged strike action by the independent oil marketers will harm the economy.

He made this known in a statement made available to Newswatch Times in Abuja by the agency Assistant Director (Press) Mr Paul Odenyi stated that the both IPMAN and NUPENG has made their point and urged them to presently cooperate with the relevant government authorities to ensure that the present hardship being encountered by the citizenry is halted.

According to him, IPMAN should show understanding even as the country is on the verge of transition from one administration to another and contribute their quota to making this transition as smooth as possible by resuming normal operations.

He further stated that this is not the right way to welcome the in-coming administration. The transition calls for patriotism and national solidarity from all Nigerians in every sector of the economy.

The skeletal and eventual cessation of operations by the two major bodies of operators in the petroleum industry has plunged Nigerians into over four weeks of hardship as refined petroleum products including Premium Motor Spirit, Automotive Gas Oil, Dual Purpose Kerosine and Jet A have been in short supply, making production and economic activities difficult.

The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, has called on oil and gas workers, just ending a strike action, to quickly take remedial steps to restore gas supply to the nation’s power stations, in the national interest.

Nebo observed that the negative effect of the strike on power supply was inevitable, since up to 70 percent of generation is coming from gas-fired stations, pending the harvest of electricity from the enormous work already done by government and private sector investors, on new large hydros and other renewables.

The minister said the oil workers’ action which cut-off of gas supply to power stations, on the heels of recent repairs on vandalized gas pipelines, had reduced actual power generation to unprecedented levels in the past week.

The minister explained that the current power generation capacity of the country stood at 7,000 MW, constrained by transmission infrastructure to about 6,000 MW.

Nebo said that with total generation rising to 4,500 megawatts in October 2014, with a potential to get up to 5,500 megawatts from gas-fired and hydro power plants, the current energy crisis which had reduced power generation to about 1,400 MW was avoidable and painful.

He commended the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources for measures taken to resolve issues with its labour unions, to prevent the nationwide energy crisis from getting worse.

According to Nebo, the responsibility of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to provide gas for power needs to be consistently fulfilled, to fire the nation’s power stations.

Nebo particularly appealed to oil and gas workers, including staff of the Nigerian Gas Company, to speedily work towards clearing the backlog of gas supplies to power plants, in order to alleviate the excruciating pains on Nigerians, and the overall effect of the just-ended strike action on the nation’s economy and other human endeavours.

The minister said it had become necessary to draw the attention of Nigerians to the fact that the strike by both senior and junior staff unions of the NNPC, (NUPENG and PENGASSAN) had resulted in the shutdown of major gas plants, including UTOROGU, CHEVRON OREDO, and OBEN in the western axis, while UGHELLI and CNL ESCRAVOS are all isolated already.

This and the shutdown of Shell Gas, ALAKIRI on the eastern axis, he explained, had caused several power plants to become stranded and compelled to shut down. These include: EGBIN, OLORUNSHOGO I & 11, OMOTOSHO 1& 11, GEREGU I & 11, IHONVOR and SAPELE (NIPP) on the western axis and ALAOJI on the eastern end.

According to the minister, the overall effect of the workers’ action is that power supply, which had started picking up at the beginning of last week, following repairs of various vandalized portions of the Trans-Forcados Pipeline has fallen to all-time unprecedented low, making life unbearable for Nigerians.

He reiterated that the reforms implemented recently in the power sector had given the nation a generation capacity of 5,500mw and a transmission capacity of up to 6,000mw, excluding embedded power and solar-generated energy from public and private sector – driven initiatives.

Nebo, however, expressed confidence in the ability of the incoming administration to address the current grievances of the workers and other stakeholders in the oil and gas sector, and urged them to patiently wait for that to happen.

He further stated that the double challenge of fuel scarcity and darkness, under which Nigerians were groaning, was uncalled for, seeing that government had put measures in place to prevent such hardship.

Former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida has expressed concern over the growing spate of fuel scarcity in the country while debunking aspersions that the outgoing government is behind the cause of the scarcity of fuel.

Fielding questions from Newsmen yesterday in Minna, Babangida called on the people to be understanding and support the measures taken by the government to put an end to this problem stressing that government is doing all it can to bring an end to this fuel scarcity.

The former President said, “I am as concerned as you are about this problem as everyone is. I want Nigerians to support the incoming government in whatever measures it takes to provide solution to the problem on ground.

“Government is doing all it can to make sure this problem comes to an end. We should endeavour to support them during this period.”

It would be noted that the current fuel scarcity have crippled the economy of the nation as most organizations are being forced to shut down due to their inability to get disel and fuel to run their generating sets. Banks, telecommunications, media houses have been affected.

Most filling stations in the South are selling for as high as N400 per litre while in the North, fuel is being sold for N250 to N300 per litre.

marv1:
Nobody is happy with one party state but the way pdp is going about it is appauling.

Appalling you mean?

Going about what? What are you trying to say?

philips70:


I am not happy in any way. Am sad a party that is supposed to be a formidable opposition decided to be fooling themselves around, releasing spurious press releases on daily basis like some confused bunch. Time is ticking for you guys, if you don't do away with Metuh and Secondus I bet you before the end of next year only Fayose, Wike, Mimiko and Ikpeazu will be PDP governors. Many of your elected members are presently ashamed of the party and that is what you just see played out here. They are instead seeing a purposeful leadership in president Buhari and are ready to join him in moving the country forward.
Still we need a formidable, responsible and serious opposition which the PDP right now is a far cry from.

Your naivety is like no other.... They are ashamed of the party bla bla... Only you is deceived by this theatrics not PMB..... HOW MANY NIGERIAN POLITICIAN have the staying power, as an opposition?

Sensible people knows that their so called sponsorship is actually meant for their local oppositions, back home, who are members of the president party and are wont to using security agents against them.... It is simply 'I know Mr president as much as you do, so you can't threaten me via name dropping.... That is Nigeria' s brand of politics


As for the opposition role, it is what the media allows us to discuss and their conclusions that carries the day.... 25b was distributed amongst TSA operators but the media has downplayed that incident once, why? Their owners are still in b3d with the government and th4 masses are still in giving them the benefits of the doubt..... The job of opposition is made easier by the press.... That 25b billion would still have remained a topical amongst the Logos press, if it was under GEJ

noeloge82:
nobody begs u to vote GEJ or any political party , ur vote is ur choice what we are saying is when u raise people Hope with empty propaganders and they turn back to blame time ur just waisting ur time from yaradua to GEJ we never had fuel crisis until may this year when people wanted to Rubbish GEJ administration when he cried out for help ur tourist president called him clueless and claimed that nobody can do that to a sitting president and today what did ur Pmb do while d ship is avoiding d rock , he abandons it and tour while people cry wake up look beyound politics be objective I support perfomance and not Mediocry don't be decieve good or bad we are in it together and d harder , the sweeter we will be here.
But don't cos u have ur different opinion come on the net to insult anyone nobody is ur Houseboy and everyone is Entitled to His / Her opinion good/bad

bros you can lie o. there was fuel scarcity at different times even till may this year. the bulk of the subsidy fund causing the scarcity is owed by Jonathan. cut the man that came in 6months ago a slack and let him work. he can't turn Nigeria to paradise in no time

Bigprozzie:
It is because they can smell the change

Anyone complaining about Buhari's performance so far is either impatient, unrealistic or an hypocrite.

Buhari met this country in a BIG mess after 16 years of misrule by a devilish party. He is doing his work methodically and only the discerning types will notice it.


In 6 months, we now have a situation where top politicians and civil servants are scared to steal . Everyone is falling sick, getting cancer and diabetes and seeking treatment abroad because of Buhari. Even the head of EFCC has bolted out

Long live Buhari- we are proud of you!

You have said it all my brother.if the 16yrs of PDP couldn't turn the wailers to billionaires,I wonder why the wailers want to turn to billionaire within the 6months of PMB in power.

FreeGlobe:

and had to mention me without any proof? get lost

Female EEJIT, where was your own proof?

FreeGlobe:

and had to mention me without any proof? get lost

Female EEJIT, where was your own proof?What will be proof enough for you? Alot of folks here have been giving you proof but you decide to act the ostrich... CHIKENHEAD!!!

nosiebaba:

Was it Buhari that held the nozzle of the pump and sold it to you for 400 naira per litre? Did u buy on the black market? And did you report the fuel stations that sold 400 naira per litre to DPR If you didn't then kindly shut up.

Maybe GEJ was the fuel attendant during his time. You can criticize GEJ but won't tolerate any negative content about Booharia. Why speak from both sides of ur mouth? Was DPR not available during GEJ's time that you claimed fuel was sold at high prices? Why didn't you report too?

Ptui! Dullard is too old to live to that time.

Mad man.

Jaideyone:
bros you can lie o. there was fuel scarcity at different times even till may this year. the bulk of the subsidy fund causing the scarcity is owed by Jonathan. cut the man that came in 6months ago a slack and let him work. he can't turn Nigeria to paradise in no time

Its not about opposing the man anybody that says he dosent want to see a better Nigeria is an Enemy of the state , what we all want is a greater Nigeria of our Dreams but pls check this scarcity is on its 3wks and our Dear president dosent see the Need to address the Nation on d situation, who is our petroleum Minister what is he doing to solve this cries , where is he now during other tough times we see the Ministers addressing the issues Head on, ok why not delegate d Minister of state for petrol to address the masses on ur effort to solving this crises,
Now check from 1983 till date when have feul crisis hit 3wks on and the sitting president do not see the need to address his subject.
So its not about party its about doing what is right in developed countries the presidents sit down to address "important pressing National issues" and delegate other issues than travelling and leaving the country in a state of confusion

I am not in anyway surprised. The PDP is yet to show seriousness of a strong and formidable opposition. Some of us are not happy woth the kind of directionless opposition played by some members of the PDP at present. The opposition instead of bringing the party closer to the masses is alienating further the party for the masses. The pDP promised credible and issue-based opposition which some of us had looked forward to but what we are getting is 'Do me-I do you' kind of opposition. BÉcause APC opposed everything and supported their defected thieves means PDP should oppose everything and support any thief being prosecuted by the government. Because APC abused Jonathan means PDP should be abusing Buhari on daily basis and unnecessarily. I am very much disappointed with some of the party's position on some issues. A party that needs power must make herself attractive.


As for Ben Iyade and Patrick Okowa, I don't blame them really though I'm equally disappointed in them.

Cc: Philips70