Stakeholders Seek Adjustment In Subsidy Payment To Marketers

Stakeholders in the oil and
gas industry have advised the Federal Government to adjust payment of subsidy to marketers, following the crash of crude oil prices at the international market.
Former Publicity Relations Officer, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Mr Seyi Gambo, said there was need for Federal Government to re-adjust payment of subsidy to marketers.
Gambo expressed shock over the provision of N291 billion as fuel subsidy in the 2015 budget, in spite of the persistent decline in crude oil price at the international market.
According to him, subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol, has dropped to 90k per litre.
“Household Kerosene (HHK), otherwise called kerosene, has dropped to N64.71k per litre at the same date, according to Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA).
“The expected open market price was N97.90k for petrol while kerosene was N114.71 per litre.”
Gambo said that contrary to other opinions, the low crude oil prices made it cheaper for global refineries to procure andprocess crude oil into various petroleum products.
He said that the scenario had made it imperative for government agencies in the oil and gas sector to reflect the current realities by adjusting pump prices of petroleum products.
The former PENGASSAN leader said that reversal of petroleum products pump prices would further enhance government policy toward ameliorating the suffering of Nigerian masses.
Gambo said that the devaluation of the nation’s currency had also weakened the purchasing power of Nigerians.
Managing Partner, Magnum Oil and Gas Ltd., Mr Austin Bello, said that government should reduce the price of petroleum products, as the prices of crude oil continued to crash at the global oil market.
Bello said that oil price has dropped in the international market from  $115 in June 2014 to around $56 or 48 per cent decline.
“The crude oil revenue on which the country’s economy depends has fallen sharply, threatening the capacity of the government to fund the 2015 budget.
“Since the oil price began its free fall, the Federal Government has revised the 2015 budget benchmark three times.
“Yet the falling price has already surpassed government’s projection in the latest revised budget, which is predicated on  $65 per barrel.
“But when the price of oil dropped ahead of the passage of the budget, the government reduced the benchmark from $78 dollars to $73 dollars per barrel, with an exchange rate of N162 to a dollar and a total budget figure of N4.7 trillion.
“With further fall in the oil prices, the benchmark was further reduced to 65 dollars per barrel, with an exchange rate of N165 to a dollar and a total budget figure of N4.357 trillion for the 2015 fiscal year.

NSCDC, NGOs and SPDC officials on road show to sensitise Nigerians on dangers of encroachment on gas pipeline right of way