Dangote Refinery: Reps Back Independent Marketers’ Request To Boycott NNPC

The House of Representatives has backed the request of independent oil marketers to boycott the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and lift petrol directly from the Dangote Refinery.

In a resolution on Thursday, the green chamber urged the federal government to direct the national oil company and the Dangote refinery to grant the marketers’ request.

In a motion of urgent public importance, Oboku Oforji, representing Yenagoa/Opokuma Federal Constituency, Bayelsa State, argued that the exclusive access of NNPC and major marketers to the Dangote Refinery is not in the nation’s interest.

He lampooned the NNPCL for its lack of transparency and accountability, noting that it failed to improve Nigeria’s petroleum energy infrastructure and productivity.

He said: “The House is worried that NNPCL and the major marketers are exclusive off-takers, which spells monopoly and is equivalent to greed. This is the same NNPCL that has failed to manage our crude and refineries for decades.

“If this monopoly is not nipped in the bud, the suffering of Nigerians caused by the scarcity of PMS will continue, and we all know the economic implications.

He echoed the concerns of the marketers, who said they may be forced to continue petrol importationif patronising Dangote is not profitable.

Meanwhile, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas has inaugurated a panel chaired by House Leader Julius Ihonvbere to serve in a joint committee of the Senate to investigate crises in the petroleum sector and make recommendations on how to address them.

Other members of the committee are Kelechi Nwogu (PDP, Rivers), Patrick Umoh (APC, Akwa Ibom), and Sada Soli (APC, Katsina), among others.

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Oluwatobi Odeyinka

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