TheCable

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that the findings of the probe panel on off-spec petrol importation are conclusive.

The federal government had, on Wednesday, said it would investigate the circumstances around the recent supply and distribution of petrol with methanol quantity above Nigeria’s specification.

Speaking on the development in a statement issued on Friday, Chris Isiguzo, NUJ president, said it was regrettable to observe that there has been some blame game between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) and some of its designated importers over the “bad fuel”.

He said it was expected that as responsible corporate organisations, the importers of the contaminated fuel would take full responsibility.

“At the same time, the NUJ believes that with measures already undertaken by the management of the NNPC especially with a presidential inquest on the way,
there should be limit to politicising of such a sensitive economic matter,” the statement reads.

“Rather, what ought to obtain now is for a demand that the probe panel as
ordered by President Muhammad Buhari is conclusive, while adequate compensation be paid to all verifiable claims of those whose vehicles may have been affected by the high methanol PMS.”

Isiguzo said the NUJ was satisfied with measures taken by NNPC to shore up petrol supply to make up for the shortage.

He enjoined the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to monitor filling stations to ensure that those with products dispense them appropriately to curb artificial scarcity and undue pump adjustments.