Abdulqadir M. Habeeb, Kaduna
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in insidious neglect of duty allowed the importation of ‘bad’ petroleum into the country. Due to dereliction of duty and criminal collusion between the regulator and the fingered oil majors, vehicles of several innocent Nigerians were damaged. Our country is such a wonderful peculiar mess where certified regular importers of millions of litres of petroleum products are allowed to import and distribute nationwide without rigorous quality control and scrutiny. Some happenings in Nigeria indeed sound like make-believe, sadly, it is our reality.
The NNPC, despite accepting responsibility for the mishap, has neither apologised for this shameful turn of events nor promised restitution for vehicles damaged. None of the importers – the authorities claimed to have identified – have been sanctioned. It is beyond irresponsibility to allow this to happen in the first instance but even a bigger disgrace that no one has been made to pay. It also claimed that it has been able to secure an adequate supply of unblemished fuel and promised that as logistics eases fuel would be available nationwide.
The beleaguered regulator also pleaded with the masses to avoid panic buying to ease the tension and discourage hoarding. Yet weeks in, we are still in the same situation, begging God for fuel, appeasing tin gods in place of fuel attendants before our tanks are filled. Cars bashed, and voices rose just to waddle through the snake-like queues in the retail outlets. This is an era that we ought to have overcome, this is a shame that we thought was in our past, this is a cup we believed had passed us by, this is a stark reminder of our grim past and if you like: this is the unpleasant Nigerian reality.
This scarcity period coincided with a period of constant travel for me. I can only affirm how it leaves pains, sweat and tears on its trail and on the masses. From being sold for N220 per litre in the Kaduna/Zaria axis to motorists paying N240 per litre in the FCT. Going further into the hinterlands, we had to pay N265 per litre in Bauchi while in Maiduguri we got it at a reduced and ‘princely’ price of N235 per litre. This is amusing, if not tragic, that at this period, we are still grappling with these sorts of absurdities.
Going forward, I hope for the umpteenth time, the regulators learn their lessons and carry out their duties dutifully to guide against the further occurrence of this ineptitude. While at it, I hope heads are made to roll for this monumental national embarrassment and tragedy inflicted on people’s vehicles and man-hours lost as a result, for there’s no better deterrence against wrongdoing better than stern consequences.
These types of national embarrassment should not be happening at this stage of our nation’s development. Above all, I hope apologies are tendered to Nigerians and restitutions offered for the harm suffered.
When it rains, it pours
Worthy of mention is the catastrophe and misery heaped upon the nation by the hike in diesel prices, the cause of which I’m yet to understand as conflicting information abounds.
While our industries and heavy-duty machines lay prostrate, the hike in aviation fuel sneaked in like a thief in the night, which prompted local airline operators to increase fares far beyond 100%.
Then comes the question, who did we offend in this nation? Why do we have to constantly be on the face of a furnace, do we always have to be burnt offering at the altar of greed and maladministration? At the juncture, I’ve myriads of questions but no single answer.
Comedy centre
It is amusing to see billionaires who are critical stakeholders in multiple sectors of our economy – who have shown how their holdings underperform, hence contributing to our sufferings – suddenly turned emergency pro masses activists joining our moaning on social media and forming self-righteousness instead of being accountable for the stewardship of the sectors in which they play. To borrow from Fela, I say “Teacher don’t teach us nonsense”.
‘Posterity shall vindicate the just’
Abdulqadir M. Habeeb, a columnist with The Informant247, is a strategist and IT Professional. He writes from Kaduna, Nigeria. He can be reached via habeebajebor@gmail.com