FUEL CRISIS: WHY WE CREATE SCARCITY -MARKETERS.........

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Fuel Crisis: Why We Create Scarcity –MARKETERS

The lingering fuel crisis may continue till the May 29 handover date to Gen. Muhammadu Buhari government, as oil marketers have resorted to hoarding the product to force government to pay the outstanding debts as claimed, Vanguard learnt.

This is coming on the heels of the fact that the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, is yet to fulfill its promise to begin evacuation of petroleum products from tank farms and depots in Apapa area nine months after.

It was learnt that marketers resorted to hoarding fuel due to fears that they might not be paid their outstanding subsidy claims for imported fuel, and as a result, decided to create the scarcity as a way of forcing the government to speed up the process of effecting payment of the subsidy.

A marketer, who preferred anonymity, told Vanguard that it is better to hoard petrol so as to force the government to agree with their terms before the change in government.He said: “My friend, we are not sure what the incoming government will do with us as from May 29. We need to force the present government to pay us our outstanding claims now.

We love this country, but we need to be sure we have products now, because we do not know what will befall us in the next two weeks.”Another marketer also corroborated: “We are all aware how a new government behaves in Nigeria.

There is uncertainty of what the incoming government will do with us as regards the subsidy. If you were in our shoes, wouldn’t you make sure you get every kobo owed you by the present administration? What better way can you do that than to keep what you have?”

Vanguard also learnt that the marketers decided to create scarcity in order to compel the government to pay them the losses they incurred when the government reduced the pump price of petrol from N97 per litre to N87 per litre.

Marketers’ subsidy claimsAt the last count, the marketers, under the aegis of Major Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN, and Depot Petroleum Products Marketers Association, DAPPMA, claimed that the Federal Government is owing them more than N200 billion as at February this year.

Executive Secretary of MOMAN, Mr. Obafemi Olawore, painted a grim picture of the situation thus: “The industry is bleeding. Our suppliers are at our necks. Our members are finding it difficult to bring in products.

”Olawore doubted the sincerity of the Federal Government to pay the debts before the end of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.“At one of the meetings we had with the Minister of Finance, we told her that we are being owed N200 billion but she insisted it was N131 billion.

The way to resolve that figure is the timing. She was using the old figure but we were using the current cut-off date we had at that time. She decided to set up a committee made up of PPPRA, DMO, CBN and her office to verify the claims.

Our opinion was that there was no need to re-verify what has been verified by PPPRA.“We thought it was just a ploy to delay payment; it is a delay tactic. As at the time we met, they had three weeks for the regime to end and with that time frame there is no way a committee can work.

 She specifically directed them, but there is no way a committee will not delay and get late. That is why we were not comfortable,” he said.

He insisted that the issue of verifying claims should not arise as the Debt Management Office, DMO, had transmitted the cost to the Minister of Information.Olawore said that marketers had only been paid N154 billion contrary to the claim by the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, that N156 billion was paid.

 He also said there is the likelihood that the fuel scarcity will continue if the federal government did not care to pay the marketers soon.

Over-pricing and under-dispensingMeanwhile, marketers are not only sabotaging the economy through hoarding, but are also engaged in all manner of sharp practices, including arbitrary pump price hike and under-dispensing of product to reap huge profits.

While pump price had almost more than doubled at between N120 and N170/litre depending on outlet and location, quantity purchased had also reduced proportionately. Pump pressures have been so adjusted and manipulated to almost half a litre for a regular quantity even at very high cost.

However, industry regulator, the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, watches helplessly as no marketer has been brought to book, even as the situation escalates.

Trucks nightmare in LagosIn addition to having to pay much more for very much less, motorists and commuters were also subjected to daily nightmares in and out of Apapa as at last Thursday by petroleum trucks who take over the highways to load products from the depots and tank farms located in Lagos.

Bucks have been passed back and forth among contending stakeholders – the Federal Government, owners of the highway; the Lagos State Government, which reaps bountifully from levies collected from the truck drivers and the Petroleum Truck Drivers, PTD, who claim they are not to blame for the blockade of the highways.

Olawore noted that about 6,000 trucks come to Lagos daily to procure petroleum products.

The large number of tankers getting to Lagos could be attributed to the inability of the railway to commence haulage of products to the Northern parts of the country.

Railway yet to lift petrolNine months after the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, expressed the hope that the traffic gridlock within the ports access roads will be a thing of the past as the corporation would begin the evacuation of petroleum products from tank farms and oil depots, the situation has remained the same.

Last week, The NRC said they have begun negotiations with MOMAN as well as the Petroleum Equalisation Fund, PEF, to begin lifting of petroleum products by rail.

Director of Operations, NRC, Mr. Niyi Alli, told Vanguard that the corporation had all the capacity to lift 1.8 million litres, an equivalent of 30 truckloads of PMS at once through rail, adding that once discussions were concluded and all safety concerns resolved, lifting will commence in earnest.

He said: “The issue here is that we are trying to have a meeting with the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN, to iron out major issues concerning lifting of PMS.

 The major issue has been around loading and offloading because we are talking about moving petroleum products which is quite risky because of the nature of the product.“

We, as the Nigeria Railway Corporation, have gone ahead to do all the sidings for the major oil marketers and have acquired wagons which are to be used for the movement across the country.

In terms of the issues with the major marketers, we have scheduled a meeting between the NRC management and the major marketers this week.“We have also engaged the PEF to ensure that the price of PMS is maintained, in terms of the PMS movement.

 For us, it is all about ensuring that all safety issues are resolved. This is because carrying PMS is not the same as carrying AGO. PMS is highly inflammable. But the good news is that all stakeholders are sitting around the table to ensure that safety is not compromised.“

At the moment, we have the capacity to move 900,000 litres of PMS, an equivalent of 30 trucks, at once. In all, we have two big trains that can move 1.8 million litres of petroleum.

But the question is how many times can we move in a week and how many times can we move in a day? So once we start, we can grow gradually.Alli explained that certain measures need to be taken into consideration before haulage of petrol is carried out.

NNPC petrolIt was also gathered that the premium motor spirit, PMS, or petrol in circulation is the supply made by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, which is responsible for about 50 per cent of the fuel supply in the country.

The NNPC and its downstream subsidiary, the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, PPMC, said it had 1.2 billion litres of petrol in stock.

The figure translates to 31 days sufficiency going by the 40 million litres daily consumption of the product in the country.According to the Managing Director of PPMC, Mr. Haruna Momoh, 21 additional vessels laden with petroleum products are offshore Lagos waiting to berth.

He said the NNPC had made adequate arrangements to ensure energy sufficiency in the country and reassured motorists that the noticeable queues at the filling stations would thin out in the days ahead.

Momoh noted that the NNPC also has 21 days sufficiency of Automative Gas Oil, AGO, otherwise known as diesel and 18 days sufficiency of Dual Purpose Kerosene, DPK, otherwise known as kerosene.

He explained that as part of efforts to ensure petroleum products sufficiency and distribution, the NNPC embarked on aggressive reception depots rehabilitation in 2011, adding:



“As at today, 18 depots out of the 23 depots have been fully recovered with the exception of Makurdi, Yola, and Maiduguri due to the activities of pipeline vandals.

”According to him, “Carrying PMS is not that easy, there are safety implications. Also, NRC cannot just load PMS from a tanker; you have to have sidings to the tank farms. And the offloading sidings have to have sidings too.



There are also the issues of the PEF. These are not the things you hurry over because of the safety risks involved. PMS is highly inflammable, so we are very careful with the way we intend to handle its movement.

But the good thing is that there are discussions going on already to make this possible within the shortest time possible.“We have scheduled a meeting between the management of MOMAN and the NRC to finalise all the issues that need to be resolved. If all goes as planned, in the near future, we could begin to lift.

The key challenge for us is that it is difficult moving petroleum products. The fact that the railway is functional doesn’t mean that every product could be moved with ease. There are different types of products which could be moved which are not as volatile as petroleum products.



“Now if we rush into hauling petroleum products and there is a major incident relating to safety, you can imagine what the cost implication will be. We also consider the fact that we are entering a market which has been cornered by different people.

 So there is bound to be challenges. The only way is through negotiations which we have started now. But moving PMS is our highest priority now and that is why we are trying to clear all bottlenecks in order to make headway.”



“What all these imply is that the Corporation, despite its capacity to lift still has to contend with the issues of safety while trying to manage and balance the interest of the oil marketers as well.

”Vanguard however learnt that conflict of interest between tanker owners and NRC has been the major reason why petroleum products haulage is not done through the railway.

www.vanguardngr.com/2015/05/fuel-crisis-why-we-create-scarcity-marketers/

I WAS FORCES TO LIE WITH A CORPSE AND DRINK ITS WASH WATER BY DAVE...

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I Was Forced To Lie With A Corpse And Drink Its Wash Water by dave.

A 29-year-old mechanic, Bode David, is yet to recover from being made to spend a night with the corpse of his friend, late Ganiyu, and drink the water used to wash it, to prove he was not responsible for his death.


It was gathered that the incident, which happened at Isheri Magodo, a suburb of Lagos, was executed because before Ganiyu gave up the ghost in the hospital, he kept calling Bode’s name.

Recounting his ordeal, Bode, an indigene of Ekiti State, a mechanic, who specialized in fixing Japanese vehicles, said: “I knew the late Ganiyu and Wasiu in January, when I was looking for someone to fix my faulty Honda car.“


That was when Ganiyu introduced me to Wasiu to fix my car. After he fixed my car, I paid him N35,000. Since then, we have had no business except when our paths occasionally crossed and we exchange pleasantries.“On Tuesday, Wasiu called me at about 6p.m., saying they need my help urgently.

 He said Ganiyu was in the hospital and that they needed money to purchase pints of blood and drips, which was about N19, 000.“

He pleaded with me to come. At about 7pm, without any idea that Ganiyu was dead, I drove my car to the junction of their street, called him on phone that he should come and collect N5,000, which was all that I had to assist Ganiyu’s treatment at that time.

“When he came to where I parked my vehicle, he said the hospital was nearby, so we walked towards where he said the hospital is located.

Deceived, beaten“As we walked, I began to notice some strange movement in the vicinity as bad boys filled the area, so I asked where exactly the hospital was. He said we are taking a short cut to the hospital.

‘’Eventually, the short cut led to a compound. Immediately we entered the compound, people began to ask me what I knew about Ganiyu’s death. I told them I knew nothing, but they did not believe me, and they began to beat me.‘’

When they were beating me, a Baale in the area interrogated me, told them to stop beating me and to hand me over to the police, or they might beat me to death and then have two corpses on their hands. But they refused.“

After beating me, they forced me to sleep on the floor in the same room where Ganiyu’s corpse was laid to prove that I had nothing to do with his death. While they were beating me, my phone and the money in my pocket got missing.

“When they discovered that I was still alive, they washed his corpse and forced me to drink the water. I refused but they almost killed me with another round of beating. When it was obvious that I had no option, I drank it.

“After I drank the water, someone who claimed that he knew me called the police. The police took me to divisional police station at Awoshika, before the case was transferred to Area F Command.

“I have nothing to do with Ganiyu’s death. How would I be responsible for his death when I had no problem with him? All I want is for government and Nigerians to come to my aid, and bring those who meted this inhumane treatment to me to justice.’’

My story—WASIUIn his defence, 33-year-old Wasiu Fadairo, the mechanic who lured Bode with the call that brought him to the house, said: “I am from Kwara State.

The late Ganiyu is from my home town.“On May 12, Ganiyu was stooling and vomiting blood, so we rushed him to a hospital located along Oluwora Road, Isheri in Magodo. He later died, calling a particular name— Bode.

“After he died, we took him home because none of his immediate family members or relatives was available. When we called them, they said they were coming, so we kept his corpse inside his room.

“That same day, neighbours and people living around were angry, alleging that the name Bode, which Ganiyu kept calling before he died, was responsible for his death. So they began to call Bode’s phone number.

“When Bode did not come, I called him with my phone and told him that Ganiyu was lying critically ill and needed blood and drips, and that we need his assistance.“

When he came, people began to question him concerning what he knew about Ganiyu’s death. Before he could say a word, they pounced on him and began to beat him. So I ran to call the police to come and rescue him.“


After police rescued him, they later went to where he parked his car and vandalized it. I was there when they were beating him, but I was not there when they forced him to lie beside the corpse and drink the water used to wash it.

”Police storyConfirming the incident, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, said: “Two friends went out for a drink and one of them, Ganiyu, took ill after the outing and started stooling.“

He was rushed to the hospital for medical attention, but died in the process. Angry friends and neighbours, suspecting the complicity of Bode David, descended on him and attempted to lynch him.“


He was, however, rescued by our policemen and investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death of Ganiyu commenced at Isheri Division. But the case has been transferred to the Department of Criminal investigation, DCI, Yaba, for further investigation.”


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/05/i-was-forced-to-lie-with-a-corpse-drink-water-used-to-wash-it/

ROBBERY SUSPECT SAYS ' CASHLESS POLICY HAS BEEN AFFECTING OUR OPERATION'....

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Robbery suspect say cashless policy has been affecting our operation.

An armed robbery suspect, 45 year old Jide Abass (pictured right) who was arrested alongside his accomplice (Lukmon Bello) while they were attempting to rob outside a bank in Ogun state on Monday May 11th, said during his interrogation by the Ogun state police command, that the cashless policy introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria has affected the operations of armed robbers in Nigeria.

According to him, people do not move around with large sums of money anymore as they now go about paying for things with their debit cards.


"We usually laid ambush for bank customers, especially those who had gone to withdraw money. It is not difficult to notice them. For the men, it is either their pockets would be bulging or they would come out with the usual black nylon.

For customers who came in their  vehicles, we would either ambush them or trail them to safer places where we would collect the withdrawn amount. But since the introduction of cashless policy, people don’t usually got out with cash.

Even when they go to eateries or super markets, they make use of POS and this has been affecting our operations. We started operating in Ikorodu, Lagos State but since the police seem to have braced up to the challenge, we decided to relocate to Ogun State.

 This is our fourth operation here. I am ashamed of myself because my two wives may likely divorce me if they find out their husband is a robber,” he said.


His other partner, Lukman said he was a clothier before he resorted to armed robbery due to his inability to fend for his two wives and children

"I was initially into  international trade. I usually travelled to Dubai  to buy men’s clothes to sell until the trade crumbled.

I had also  travelled  to Mecca, Saudi Arabia,  twice, to perform Holy Pilgrimage. While the going was good,  I got married to two wives. But along the line, my  business crumbled and  I started driving commercial bus. At a point, I could barely feed my family. In the process, I met Jide Abass, who introduced me to robbery.

On that fateful day,  we left Ikorodu where we live, to Abeouta to operate. It was Jide who suggested we went far to operate to avoid being recognised during operation. We trailed this particular man to  Oke-Ilewo. We saw him counting some money  and kept some  in the  safe of his car.

 We did not know he would not stay long inside the office he entered. We  were busy ransacking his vehicle for the money he left and never noticed him coming out until he was close.  As we attempted to enter our car and flee he  pulled out a pistol and shot me in the thigh.

 I  managed to hop into my Mercedez benz car which was  used for the operation and sped off towards Ibara Housing en-route Kuto (Abeokuta)/Isiun Expressway. But I became unconscious as a result of loss of blood and in the process ran into an oncoming vehicle on reaching the  Ogun State NUT Conference Hall junction, close to MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta.

Some good Samaritans who did not know what actually happened came to our rescue and rushed us to the  Federal Medical Centre,FMC, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, for treatment.  But to our surprise, the man who shot me located us and arrested us.

 It was after we were arrested that we discovered that  he was a policeman. My wives and children are not aware I have been arrested. Greed lured me into this”. he said
Source: Vanguard

TYGA PRAISES HIS GIRLFRIEND , KYLIE JENNER'S OUTFIT SAYS 'THE KOOLEST'

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'The Koolest' - Tyga praises his girlfriend, Kylie Jenner's outfit..

The rapper shared a picture of Kylie's Balmain outfit to the 2015 Billboard Awards in Las Vegas and wrote, 'The Koolest'. Countdown to Kylie's 18th  coming up real soon.

NIGERIA POLICE RESPONDS TO THE 'HUMAN FLESH RESTAURANT ' IN ANAMBRA STORY ......

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Nigeria police responds to alleged ‘Human Flesh Restaurant’ in Anambra story

Some days ago, a few foreign media including BBC, AFP and Daily Mail published a story claiming a Nigerian restaurant in Anambra was shut down for cooking human flesh.

The Anambra State Police Command responded to the story yesterday Sunday May 17th, saying nothing of such happened. The State's Police Public Relations Officer, Uche Eze, said;
"There was nothing like that. I advise you to ignore that report. It’s not true and it did not happen. We don’t have such record.

It’s embarrassing. I think we definitely deserve an apology because this story has already been sold out to a huge international audience who made so many unnecessary comments about Nigeria and Nigerians" she told Punch