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Reps expand investigation into dirty fuel
By Derrick Bangura
The Nigerian House of Representatives has directed that the Committee on Petroleum Downstream investigate the continuing issue of fuel scarcity.
This, according to the lawmakers, was to see if there was an interim report on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s (NNPC) claim that it had enough fuel despite ongoing scarcity.
The lawmakers had mandated the Committee to investigate the release of methanol-blended petroleum in the country on February 10, while adopting a motion sponsored by the Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno), with a view to ensuring that culprits are brought to book and making recommendations to avoid reoccurrence.
The lawmakers also ordered the NNPC Limited to suspend enterprises involved in the distribution of tainted petrol and to provide their names to the committee.
The downstream committee was also tasked with determining if the product’s importation, distribution, and dispensing in Nigeria up to that point had met international standards.
In the plenary on Tuesday, Minority Leader Hon. Ndudi Elumelu (PDP, Delta), speaking under order 8 rule 4 of the House rules, said the existing committee charged with investigating the issue of adulterated fuel should also check if there was an interim report on the NNPC Limited’s claim that it has enough fuel despite lingering scarcity across the country.
He lamented how difficult it was for him to get to work because all of the roads were completely blocked by people hunting for gasoline.
“I’m coming under this rule for us to discuss the topic of Nigeria’s continuing gasoline crisis,” Elumelu stated. I agree that the NNPC has enough fuel, but it does not appear to be consistent with their argument that they have enough fuel because there is still a lingering fuel problem in Nigeria.
“It took me a long time to get here since all of the roads are completely clogged by people hunting for gasoline.” There’s already a committee tasked with researching the issue of contaminated fuel, so I’m thinking they should see whether there’s an interim report as part of their current work.”
The Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, echoed Elumelu’s view and asked the Committee to continue its probe into the continuing situation.
“There’s a nexus between the motion from last week on contaminated fuel and what you have very rightly brought out,” Gbajabiamila added. The standing committee should take note of this and continue their probe into the ongoing situation.”
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has demanded that the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Police properly investigate the circumstances surrounding the assassination of Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Abubakar Abdulkadir Rano by terrorists in Jibia division, Katsina state.
While condemning the assassination of the police officer and others, the House also asked the DSS and police to look into similar cases across the country and assist bereaved families. The legislators’ motions came after the plenary yesterday approved a motion of urgent public interest sponsored by Hon. Kabiru Alhassan Rurum.
Rurum, who moved the motion, stated that the late Rano, the commander of the Jibia Division, was savagely murdered by bandits while attempting to rescue an abducted woman.
According to him, the officer had had success in confronting and battling bandits in the region, which helped to reduce community attacks. He bemoaned the fact that nothing had been done to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death since the incident.
He went on to say that a detrimental trend that needed to be addressed was the absence of swift investigation into the deaths of police officers slain in similar situations.
The House conducted a minute of silence after passing the motion in honor of the late DPO and other police officers who died while serving the country.
The Commissioner of Police in Osun, Mohammed Abba, has pledged collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in tackling the menace of drug Abuse in the state.
A statement by the Police Public Relation Officer, CSP Yemisi Opalaola, on Thursday in Osogbo, said that the commissioner made the pledge while playing host to NDLEA State Commandant, Adetula Lawal.
Abba expressed his readiness to further strengthen the healthy partnership between the two agencies.
The police commissioner said that the fight against drug abuse required collective efforts.
According to him, many of those committing crimes are doing so under the influence of dangerous drugs.
Abba promised to provide the necessary support to the NDLEA in the state.
The statement quoted Lawal as commending the police commissioner’s efforts in combating crime and criminality in the state.
He reiterated the agency’s collaboration with the police, as a leading security agency to tackle the menace of drug abuse and trafficking in the state.
Financial experts have raised alarm that the implementation of the 4 per cent Free-On-Board (FOB) Levy on imports would exacerbate inflation in the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Feb. 5 announced its introduction of the FOB levy on imports.
According to Abdullahi Maiwada, the spokesman of the service, the introduction of the levy was in line with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act (NCSA) 2023.
“In line with the provisions of Section 18 (1) of NCSA 2023, the NCS is implementing a 4 per cent charge on the Free On-Board (FOB) value of imports.
“The FOB charge, which is calculated based on the value of imported goods, including the cost of goods and transportation expenses incurred up to the port of loading, is essential to driving the effective operation of the service.”
However, a former Chairman, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Ogun Chapter, Dr Wale Adegbite and Evans Osabuohien, a Professor of Economics, said that the levy would worsen the nation’s inflation rate.
In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Ota, Ogun, Adegbite and Osabuohien of the Department of Economics, Covenant University, said that the policy would negatively impact the economy.
The former MAN chairman said that the 4 per cent levy by the NCS “is a disaster and will worsen an already bad situation with multiple devastating effect on the economy.
” Why would the government inflict more hardship on the population as this new policy will certainly lead to more price increase, thus further increasing the country’s inflation rate.
“In addition, the masses will suffer more because of the impending price increase without any corresponding increase in income.”
Also, Osabuohien said that though the new FOB policy by the NCS was meant to generate more revenue for the federal government, but it would negatively impact on the economy.
He said that the NCS action would increase the cost of living of households.
The economist explained further that the development would increase the cost of operations of Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs), especially those companies that depend on imported raw materials for their production.
“This additional cost to be incurred through the 4 per cent increase in FOB would be transferred to the consumers and it would automatically trigger increase in the nation’s inflation rate,” Osabuohien said.
U.S. President Donald Trump plans to impose tariffs of 25 per cent on steel and aluminium imports into the United States, he said on Sunday.
“Any steel coming to the United States is going to have them, 25 per cent tariff,” Trump said, according to journalists travelling with the president. When questioned about tariffs on aluminium imports, Trump replied, “25 Per cent for both.”
Trump also confirmed his plan to announce further reciprocal tariffs in the coming week.
He spoke of an announcement on Tuesday or Wednesday.
“Very simply, if they charge us, we charge them, Trump told reporters, adding that the tariffs would go into effect almost immediately.”
U.S. tariffs of 10 per cent on Chinese goods took effect from Feb. 4.
The planned tariffs of 25 per cent on Mexico and Canada were suspended for an initial period of 30 days following promises from the two countries to increase border security measures.
Trump won November’s presidential election promising to slap high tariffs on foreign goods to reduce U.S. trade deficits.
He implemented a number of duties during his first term from 2017 to 2021.
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