As Nigerians continue to experience excruciating pain over scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), known as petrol with the attendant increase on the products from the approved price of N145 per litre to an increase sale of between N250 and N350 by independent petroleum marketers, a petroleum engineer, Engr. Philip Odogwu has stressed the need for the issuance of more licences to modular refinery operators with a view to reducing the scale of illegal oil bunkering which is currently prevalent among the youths of Niger Delta.
He also averred that hence the Federal Government has been delaying in the setting up of more refineries in the country, private individuals should be encouraged to operate modular refineries to meet petroleum consumers’ need across the country.
Philip Odogwu, a petroleum engineer who spoke to our correspondent in onitsha at a long queue, at a filling station said the lingering high cost of the petroleum product was a clear indication of the need for the Federal Government to consider the welfare of the citizens which have been derailed by the astronomical rise in the price of fuel across the country, especially with its attendant embarrassing blame game between the Federal Government, Nigerian National petroleum cooperation (NNPC) and independent petroleum marketers.
The petroleum expert, however, explained that fuel importation which has been bedeviled by what he termed “dirty” politics should end and the Federal Government does the needful by ensuring that the three Government owned refineries- Port Harcourt, Warri and kaduna refineries operate at optimal level and the issuance of operating licences to operators of modular refineries.
Also, Iheme Udenso gave a graphic picture of how a combined team of soldiers and police invaded Ekppan Community, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, on October 2015 to arrest the leader of an oil bunkering syndicate, Steve Okagbare who narrowly escaped by whiskers along Samuel Obi, Ejiroghene Barry, Okagbare Samuel and Ese Oghene as well as Lucky who were all workers at the Oil bunkering site.
He stated that about twenty illegal crude oil operators were arrested at the scene by law enforcement agents and are still facing prosecution by the Federal Government.
He added that the owner of the site, Steve Okagbare and others have since gone into hiding for fear of prosecution by the authorities.
Udenso who is a petroleum marketer, however, pleaded with the Federal Government to find ways of alleviating the sufferings of the people by making petroleum products readily available and affordable to consumers.
