₦airaland Forum

An Open Letter To President Buhari On Fuel Scarcity and Crises - www.9jabuzz.com.ng

Your Excellency Sir,


I write you this piece not as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but as the minister of petroleum resources appointed by yourself on the 11th of November, 2015.

You seem to have forgotten that you are the minister of petroleum resources and may have completely relinquished your responsibilities to the minister of state of petroleum resources— Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, who to me, to a reasonable extent has been up and doing.

You seem to have neglected the fact that you are directly answerable to Nigerians as the Minister of petroleum resources, and owe it to Nigerians to make the product readily available and affordable.

As a reminder of what you already know- the fuel scarcity has fully gripped major cities in the country and contributing negatively to an economy that is still struggling to pick its stand.

Pathetic as it may, your ministry has failed Nigerians over its inability to end the lingering fuel scarcity, as this unabated scarcity of the product has contributed to the high cost of goods and service.

The Honourable Minister of petroleum Sir, you are on your way in setting the record of the longest reign of fuel scarcity in the history of the republic under your watch. As since you have been sworn in, it has been from one scarcity to another.

Although, one cannot be-little or underestimate the efforts of the junior minister of petroleum resources who also happens to be the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)- Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, in revamping the sector. But Sir, your unnecessary and unwarranted silence and carefree attitude before every short statement is issued on the lingering scarcity is worrisome. It suggests that you may have forgotten or may have become unconscious of the fact that you head the ministry that is currently failing Nigerians to make available and affordable the product that is key to the economy and of importance to the day to day activities of the people.

The unending scarcity that has in-turn led to an increase in pump price of the product calls for your urgent attention in the sector and a swift reaction in finding a lasting solution to this menace. It is sickening and shameful that Nigerians would have to wait on long queues for hours that could have been channelled in doing other productive things just to a get a few litre of fuel.

Your ministry cannot continually fail to provide the basic need of the people and unnecessarily make Nigerians go through pains for a product we have in its raw form and expect the people to be pleased with it. All that you have said and perhaps done about the scarcity is still very much infinitesimal as compared to the pains Nigerians go through on a daily basis to get this product for their respective use.

You may have actually chosen not to react to the issue as the president, but you owe it to Nigerians as the minister of petroleum resources. Nigerians owe you responsible for failing them in this regard.

Sir, if holding both position as minster of petroleum resources and president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria seem too cumbersome for you, let go of one and concentrate on the one you think you can deliver better. Your excuses so far for the scarcity would not put food on the masses` table and will not save the soul of those that have lost their lives as a result of this scarcity. Get the job done sir if you can. If you can`t, FIRE yourself and get a replacement for yourself as soon as possible and don’t just be there as a figurehead.

Those calling for the minister of state- Dr. Ibe Kachikwu resignation are muddling things up. They should be calling for your resignation not his.

There is a reason why you choose to appoint yourself as the minister of petroleum resources. But it’s a pity the reason is not being felt by Nigerians. Your self-appointment as a minister in that sector has made little or no impact on the lives of the people.

Perhaps the minister of state is choked up. Maybe the work is too much for him. Maybe he is not getting the overall assistance he needs from you as his direct boss because of your busy schedule. Maybe he needs to share his portfolio with someone. A full minister appointed to do the job will no doubts dedicate more time for the job than you do now. Think about this!

Nigerians have suffered so much and so long in the name of fuel scarcity and the pains are becoming very much unbearable. Every passing second that the scarcity lingers on is a slap on your portfolio and a shame on our nation which nature has blessed with the product in its raw form.

This is not an act of unnecessary wailing; it is a passionate wake up call to you and your ministry.

Arrest the situation now and put it to rest once and for all.

Yours sincerely,

Ogundana Michael Rotimi.

Source http://9jabuzz.com.ng/dear-president-buhari-the-last-time-i-checked-you-are-still-the-minster-of-petroleum-resource/

Why has Buhari as the Minister of Petroleum not been called before the senate to explain the fuel scarcity issue?

I am wondering why a selfish man want to eat two yams and keep others on hunger lane

The funny thing about most of these letter writers is that they offer no solution to how the situation is too be addressed.

Here is the problem.

1. At full capacity, our refineries can produce 17million liters of fuel per day. Meawhile Nigeria's daily need is 40million liters per day.

So...even with our refineries working...which they are not thanks to decades of being poorly run...we cannot meet local demand for fuel in full.

Of course we need to build refineries quickly. But that takes at least three years.(And we need four of them....Dangote is building one).

2.We import to make up the balance. But right now...we cannot import enough because

a) We do not have enough forex to import thanks to the fall in crude oil prices. CBN has to watch our dollar reserve to prevent our naira from losing value too fast).

b)NNPC is still owing lots of money to marketers re subsidy claims....which means most marketers cannot even pay for imports because...no money/

c) Subsidy....which means that marketers cannot make enough profits to import. And with the falling rate of the naira and restrictions on getting dollars at official rate by CBN....many of them have to go to the parallel market...which means they need far more naira to get dollars....which means they have to either increase fuel prices....or run at a loss(That is why many of them run at a loss).

Of course it needs fixing. But if you want a thorough fix...expect it to take years. NNPC is in a mess, as is the petroleum infrastructure. And subsidy has to go.

we go still survive no matter what

endove:
we go still survive no matter what

Yes but people are dying untimely. Buhari seems not to have emphaty for the masses
It's painful

We survived abacha, so we will also survive dis one too

ERODEDEAST:
Bull.ari is a DISASTER.

This is what you know how to type. Coming online to insult a man who have achieved everything in life.


Better go look for something to do with your life and stop disgracing yourself and family.


Don't let your children curse you when they grow up.

MarysMeal:
This is what you know how to type. Coming online to insult a man who have achieved everything in life.


Better go look for something to do with your life and stop disgracing yourself and family.


Don't let your children curse you when they grow up.

And one of Buhar's achievements is making sure Nigerians suffer abi? Dey there dey deceive yourself.

thesicilian:
Why has Buhari as the Minister of Petroleum not been called before the senate to explain the fuel scarcity issue?

Thanks. Another good question is why Tinubu is attacking the guy for non performance instead of the petroleum minister himself