Business
No Basis To Increase Fuel Price – NASS Committee
The House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum (Down Steam) has said that there is no basis for now for any authority in Nigeria to think about increase in petroleum pump price given the present hardship that Nigerias are facing.
The committee posited that it would even be better if the pump price as currently being sold, be reduced so as to ameliorate the sufferings of the masses.
Making this known while speaking to airport correspondents at the Port Harcourt International airport, Omagwa after their oversight function in Port Harcourt Thursday, the deputy Chairman of the committee, Hon. Danlami Mohammed said the committee does not support any increase in fuel pump price as alleged because of what Nigerias are passing through.
He said as members of the National Assembly who are representing their various constituencies, they feel the pulse of their people and would not want what will further stretch the masses.
Mohammed, who led other committee members for the over sight function at the Port Harcourt refinery and the Pipeline Product Marketing Company (PPMC) maintained that no right thinking man will in any way support any policy or issue that will further impoverish the people, given the current economic hardship in the country.
On the alleged plan to privatise the NNPC, he said that the time is not yet right for refineries to be privatised, pointing out that their operational capacities is not yet full.
Mohammed, who represents the Dutsinma/Kurfi Federal Constituency of Katsina State, however, opined that refineries must be fixed properly as well as work in full capacity, before considering privatisation.
He said they were in NNPC and PPMC to ascertain the level of their productivity and their challenges, but expressed satisfaction with what they saw, inspite of some challenges they are facing in terms of getting crude for refining.
Collins Walter