Two days after it cried out that the burden of petrol price has pushed it into over $6 billion debt, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), on Tuesday morning increased the pump price of fuel in its stations from N617 per litre to N855 per litre, an increase of over 40 per cent.
This is just as the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, on Tuesday challenged the federal government to come clean and tell Nigerians all that is going on in the NNPCL, which is owned by the people.
Obi lamented that the continuous running of critical government agencies in secrecy is unacceptable to the Nigerian people.
Writing on his X handle on Tuesday, the former Anambra State Governor said: “Nigerians must stop at nothing to continue their demand for transparency in the operations of government especially critical agencies like the state-owned NNPCL whose activities appear to be shrouded in secrecy.
“The conflicting reports on subsidies have left Nigerians in the dark, unsure of what is happening in such prime tax payer’s company.
“It’s utterly curious that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) which declared a N3 trillion profit in 2023, is coming up with a bizarre claim of “financial constraints” in supplying fuel. This is an insult to the intelligence of the Nigerian people and a slap in the face of our suffering citizens.
“The fuel scarcity crisis, characterized by endless queues and untold hardship, is a direct result of the government’s ineptitude. The $20 billion Dangote Refinery’s struggles to secure crude oil supply and NNPCL’s search for outside operators for the refineries are further proof of this administration’s gross incompetence.
“We demand immediate transparency into NNPCL’s operations, financial dealings, and plans for the future. The Petroleum Industry Act mandates an open and transparent NNPCL, and we should not stand idly by while this government violates our laws and mocks our democracy.
“We demand that this administration come clean on these issues and take responsibility for the mess it has created. We should not rest until we uncover the truth and hold those responsible accountable. The Nigerian people deserve better.