‘We Deserve Palliatives Too’ – Oil Marketers Cry Out To FG

Oil marketers under the umbrella of the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA) have cried out to the Federal government to make provisions for an urgent palliative for them in other to avert a collapse of the sector.

The association insisted that “the success of this government highly depends on the survival of the oil industry, whose critical stakeholders are presently most negatively affected.”

At its National Executive Meeting (NEC), on Thursday, the National President of the NOGASA, Benneth Korie, said it was a great idea that the federal government had made palliative provisions for the citizens to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy.

Korie, however, said that oil marketers also need palliative to cushion the effect of fuel subsidies in the sector.

He asked the federal government to provide palliatives for marketers by releasing N600 per dollar for the next three months because the current volatility in the forex exchange has sent several petrol stations shutting down and running many more depots dry.

Giving a detailed explanation of how the proposed palliative would help marketers, Korie said, “We wish to once again and most sincerely reiterate that the only realistic option out of this dire situation, for now, is for the government to urgently consider expediting the provision of ‘Emergency Palliative Measures,’ for marketers such that fuels can be imported at the rate of at least N600 per dollar for the next three months while waiting for the promised reactivation of our refineries.

“This will go a long way in cushioning the harsh effect of the high cost of importation and equally bring about relief to the business and cost of living generally.”