N1.9trn Road Construction Award to NNPCL a Policy Somersault – Azubuike
A stakeholder and former Chairman of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, Mr. Azubuike Azubuike, has described as policy somersault, the approval of the sum of N1.9 trillion to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited for road reconstruction.
Azubuike, expressing his view on the Federal Executive Council’s recent approval of a whopping N1.9trillion to the NNPCL for the reconstruction of 44 federal roads in the country under the tax credit policy, wondered what would be the responsibility of the Federal. Ministry of Works and the Federal Road Maintenance Agency, if NNPCL will leave its core mandate to dabble into road construction.
Azubuike queried why the NNPCL was more concerned with road rehabilitation while the masses were groaning under a lingering fuel scarcity, few weeks to the 2023 general election.
He said: “NNPCL and road rehabilitation with over N1.9trillion, while we groan in fuel scarcity. Where is the Federal Ministry of Works? Is this not a policy somersault?
“NNPC has the mandate for the exploration and exploitation of crude oil. It also refines and markets petroleum products, explores, produces, refines oil, and markets and retails petroleum products. It holds shares in Nigeria in trust with IOCs and supervises its activities.
“I am aware of the issue of tanker drivers and road nightmares but then, despite the executive order of the government on such road rehabilitation, we still have the FERMA, Ministry of Works.”
The former PENGASSAN boss, Port Harcourt Zone, urged NNPC to concentrate on its mandate rather than dabbling into road rehabilitation and construction which they have no expertise on.
