Diversion Is Killing The Economy – NSCDC Commandant
The Imo State Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp, NSCDC, Pedro Ideba Awili has blamed the scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as fuel on diversion by the dealers.
Speaking to newsmen in his office, Owerri, Pedro hinted that diversion is killing the economy, revealing that some fuel tankers have been impounded by men of Civil Defence trying to divert the product despite the fact that Imolites have been subjected to untold hardship occasioned by the scarcity.
He therefore called on the Imo State House of Assembly members to expedite action on bringing to bear a law on diversion, making it a criminal offence for anybody no matter how highly placed to divert petroleum product, adding that once the law becomes operative with all the punishment meted out, it will serve as deterrent for dealers who may want to divert.
He posited that the reason the diversion has continued in the state was because there is no law on diversion, stressing that the law is existing in Akwa Ibom and River States, hence making it impossible for dealers to divert the product in those areas.
He insisted that the Imo State Taskforce on Petroleum should be dissolved immediately by the government as according to him, the taskforce is not doing anything, it is not working, because if it is working, it should have been known to the Corp, so that NSCDC can provide its men to fight the scarcity to an end.
Pedro said that the Taskforce on Petroleum should tell Imolites how many trucks are loaded from Osissioma to Imo State everyday, “we must tell ourselves the truth, they have not come to us and say give us your men, we want to fight fuel scarcity”. He remarked that the country must be sanitized in line with the President’s desire.
NSCDC Commandant revealed that the dealers have contrived another way of diverting petroleum products, where they construct trucks and tippers meant for carrying chippings into carrying petroleum products. He posited that the dealers or ‘diverters’ will construct fuel tanks of over 45,000 liters, put it in the tipper meant for carrying sands and gravels/chippings, cover it with sands, so that one thinks it is chippings or sands that is inside, without knowing that it is another method of diverting the petroleum product, thereby beating all check-points. He noted that NSCDC has through its intelligence caught some of them and impounded the trucks and products. He called on the public to be on the alert, as it is a fight for all and sundry.
Pedro also charged the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR to sit up to do its job by ensuring that filling stations sell at government prices, adding that NSCDC has sealed some filing stations over sale of adulterated products.
He however asserted that NSCDC is there to provide proactive security, especially as it concerns vandalism of petroleum pipe lines, government properties, telecommunication equipment, among others in the country, adding that the Corp is fighting all kinds of adulteration to standstill
He called on those involved in causing the scarcity of fuel in the state, especially in diversion to have a rethink as the law will not spare them when they are caught.