Boma Achenimie 
The National Union of Petroleum Marketers and Natural Gas Workers’ independent marketers section has urged President Bola Tinubu and the leadership of Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to move quickly with the turnaround of the country’s refineries.
Its Chairman, Comrade Oluleye Olayemi, made this appeal on Friday while fielding questions from reporters shortly after being elected for a second term in office.
Oluleye observed that the restart of the refineries would aid in easing the hardship caused by the elimination of gasoline subsidies among the populace.
Olusegun Obasanjo, a former President, was quoted saying the nation’s refineries might never function.
Speaking on the comment, Olayemi, however, disagreed as he called the previous President’s statement horrifying.
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He claimed that even though there might be corruption in the relevant system or process, the government could turn around the refineries with political determination and sincerity.
The branch concurs with the Nigerian Labour and NUPENG National Executive Council’s stance on the deregulation of the oil and gas sector, the speaker declared.
“While it might be argued that eliminating subsidies was the proper move, the timing should have been postponed until the refineries were operational.
“The government should have built refineries in phases across the oil-producing states and gradually remove the subsidy. We are badly affected by deregulation. We appeal to the government that they should expedite action on the refineries’ turnaround and maintenance of our refineries.
“We are badly affected as many marketers are not loading and that affected our members who could not attend. Without renovation of the depot, many people will be jobless.”
