A rights group, Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative (EUYI), has warned that it will mobilise Nigerian youths to occupy the office of the Minister of State for Petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri and the NNPC towers if the current fuel crisis is not resolved urgently......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
National coordinator of EUYI, Comrade Danesi Momoh, at a press conference held in Abuja, Thursday, expressed readiness to rally youths to occupy the minister’s office and NNPCL towers to press home their demands, Tuesday next week.
The rights group argued that, following the hike in the price of fuel, the vast majority of Nigerians can no longer feed and can no longer go out to look for work, or go to work where the salary is below the cost of transport.
Decrying the hike in the price of PMS to N855 and above, the group claimed that Lokpobiri is completely out of touch with what is happening under his ministry and core sector.
“When NNPCL said Port Harcourt Refinery will start functioning in December 2023, Lokpobiri did not only join the lie but went further early this year to deceive Nigerian that the refinery was indeed ready. So it is understandable why there cannot be consequences for the failings of NNPCL.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Section 3 (1) (a),(b),(c) empowers the Minister to formulate, monitor and administer government policies in the Petroleum Industry; exercise general supervision over the affairs and operations of the Petroleum Industry in accordance with the provisions of the PIA; and report developments in the Petroleum Industry to government.
“Everyone knows that the day-to-day ministerial functions of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources is exercised by the Ministers of State (Oil) and (Gas). And as far as the Oil Sector is concerned, Lokpobiri has failed in exercising his power and achieving his mandate in the interest of the country.”