Jonathan: How Not To Practice Zoology

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Written by Odimegwu Onwumere

 

The announcement of the withdrawal of the fuel subsidy is causing a lot of angry public discussion and disagreement. Nigerians have been caused to lose sleep and peace since the January 1st avoidable proclamation was made. No matter all the hallucination of benefits the proponents of this inane policy are watering down the throat of Nigerians, the fuel subsidy removal is a debauching New Year Gift from President Goodluck Jonathan-led government to Nigerians.

 

Why this decree came as an Olympian shock was that the Federal Government (FG) had told Nigerians in December 2011 that the fuel subsidy departure was due for April this year, while it was still consulting, and Nigerians looked up to that period. Against that backdrop, Jonathan didn’t wait a minute before he struck like a terrorist, as if Nigerians were animals in the zoo. It is saddening when a man whom his followers believed so much in, cannot stand by his word. This type of behaviour is hoodwinking: just what Jonathan has exhibited.

 

Terrorists are known for causing deaths and destructions. The same way, Jonathan’s unilateral decision on the fuel subsidy deletion may put Nigerians in a box throughout the remaining months of the year. Imagine where a people began the year with bickering and tinkering. In the traditional belief, it is a bad omen. The myth is that whatever one faces first in the morning goes a long way to show how the person’s whole day was going to be. If at the opening of the door in the morning and one is greeted with fortune, the person smiles throughout the day. But if the person is greeted with misfortune, the day is already spoilt. Pray that the latter is not Jonathan’s scheme to Nigerians!

 

What is the better way to define terrorism? More Nigerians are today wondering the future of the country than ever because of the militarism that trails the imposition of the fuel subsidy policy by the FG. This is terror to Nigerians and they are reacting, the same way the world peoples did when the news filtered in the air on September 11, 2001 that terrorist had attacked the New York City and Washington D.C. The way Nigerians are wailing today about their fate in Nigeria under Jonathan, was the same way the world cried, watching the Twin Towers in the USA on TV collapsing into images of flames. But somebody would ask: was it not ‘just’ on May 29, 2011 that Jonathan became an elected president?

 

As TV showed the unrelenting efforts of the survivors of that dastardly attacks on USA., Jonathan and his foot soldiers are rather showing arch-anger against Nigerians protesting his tormenting policy called fuel subsidy removal. Many protesters have been inimically arrested and many reportedly shot dead and wounded in different locations across the country. It is only a fool who sits down when terror struck. Nigerians are not fools. Just as war broke out in the wake of September 11, 2001 between the USA against terrorist, Jonathan-led government of Nigeria is attacking peace-loving Nigerians at the wake of their protest against his policy by any means necessary. This act is like beating and making hogwash of a child and at the same time telling the child not to cry from the ground the child was subjugated to. Is this not double punishment? Tormenting the protesting Nigerians with arrests and killings at the wake of the fuel subsidy removal is the worst of bait that any government can stake with its citizens.

 

Jonathan has behaved like he had altercating grudges against Nigerians by his gesture without minding the untold hardship he has subjected Nigerians to, as they return from the Christmas festivity and after. Can Jonathan ever agitate for peace in Nigeria again when he is not behaving like one who wants peace? What manner of peace was Jonathan preaching that Nigerians should always imbibe when he was even the first to clamour for revolution because of this fuel subsidy removal that has been characterized in many quarters as fraud? The deaths and gratuitous destruction of property by the unfriendly Boko Haram at Madalla in Niger State on Christmas day seemed something that Jonathan waved with the back of his left hand after his speech to Nigerians to see terrorism as something that has come to live with them and they should contain it? Have Nigerians not been killed enough through arsonists and government’s pursuit of economic and political interests?

 

If a government as Jonathan’s cannot blink and sit back into its thinking chair to re-consider the impacts the common Nigerian is about to suffer because of the fuel subsidy removal lucre, the government’s kind of terrorism is spreading like wildfire. How could Jonathan go to work before thinking? He had promised Nigerians that 1, 600 buses were to be sent on the Nigerian roads to help alleviate the masses transportation burden. The buses have not even arrived than he struck. Even if they had arrived, what significant could mere 1, 600 buses have/make in a country of over one hundred and fifty million people with a rate of 80% earning less than half a dollar a day? Jonathan should define the mother of terrorism if not fanaticism, hatred and poverty. These are being born in Nigeria because government’s practice of injustice is on the increase against the common Nigerian. Nigerians have solely provided for themselves what in other civilized climes government would not want journalists to know that it was incapable to provide. But in Nigeria, government like Jonathan’s boasts about its readiness to engage its citizens in a contest of revolution on the public outcry.

 

As a zoologist with a B.Sc. degree in Zoology in which he attained Second Class Honours, Upper Division, an M.Sc. degree in Hydrobiology and Fisheries biology, and a Ph.D. degree in Zoology from the University of Port Harcourt, Jonathan is merely rearing shadow like animals on fuel subsidy without first curbing the corruption bedeviling the petroleum sector. He reared Nigerians like animals by the fact that he didn’t recognize that the issue of fuel subsidy was in the 2011 budget which was supposed to be exhausted by the end of March, when the 2012 budget will be operational. The National Assembly had not even given the policy a nod. Jonathan needs to be called to order that Nigerians are not animals that can be reared anyhow the herdsman likes. Even, animals in the developed world do they not have some incomparable rights?

 

Odimegwu Onwumere is a Poet/Author and Media Consultant based in Rivers State. Call: +2348032552855. Email: apoet_25@yahoo.com

Gov.Okorocha’s Election Victory

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The Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has again been declared the validly elected governor ofImoStatein the 2011 governorship election.

Delivering judgment on Friday, January 6th on the appeal brought by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP challenging the declaration of Owelle Rochas Okorocha as the winner of the supplementary governorship election conducted on May 6th, 2011, Justice Tijani Abdullahi who led other  Justices of the court  upheld Owelle Rochas Okorocha as the validly elected governor of Imo State.

Justice Abdullahi said: “after a careful consideration of the preliminary objection filed by the appellants, we hold that it lacks merit and is hereby dismissed”. The court awarded cost of N50,000 against the appellants.

Justice Abdullahi said that the reason for the decision would be given on a date to be communicated to all the counsel on the suit.

Reacting to the judgment, the counsel to INEC, Dr.Onyechi Ikpeazu, (SAN), applauded the ruling of court and said that the Court of Appeal had upheld the right of INEC to postpone an election where the final result had not been declared.

The counsel to Governor Okorocha, Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN), and the Imo State Commissioner for Information, Dr Obinna Duruji (SAN), was also full of praises for the substantive justice which the judgment of the Court of Appeal represented.

It is pertinent to state that the Imo State Governorship Election Tribunal had in its ruling of Saturday 12th November 2011 struck out the prayers of PDP to declare the supplementary election held on the 6th May 2011 was invalid being in breach of the provisions of both the Electoral Art of 2010 (as amended) and the 1999 Constitution (as amendid). The   Election Petition Tribunal headed by Justice E.N. Kpojime, in its unanimous judgment on that suit held that “the petition lacks merit, and is accordily dismissed|”. Dissatisfied with the ruling, the PDP appealed to the Court of Appeal, an appeal which has now been disallowed for lack of merit. It is not yet known if PDP will appeal to the Supreme Court.

 

JOHN I. MGBE

Statewide Curfew Declared in Adamawa, As Jonathan Departs for S. Africa

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President Jonathan with the Architect of Nigerian Misery

Following the bloody Friday in four [4] separate shooting incidents in Adamawa State yesterday [Friday January 6, 2012] which left about 30 south easterners dead, the governor of the State, Malam Nyako imposed a Statewide curfew through out the State. The announcement was made by the State Governor at 11am today [Saturday January 7, 2012].

According to information obtained by 247ureports.com, the restriction in movement is said to be around the clock. All movements are restricted from morning till night. This is according to a security agent in Yola, the capital of Adamawa State.

The security agent revealed that the state security services [SSS] observed that the operatives of the Boko Haram have shifted their operation away from the local government areas [LGAs] that fell under the region pegged for the State of emergency declaration by the President – and has moved south towards Adamawa State. This is as the bloody incident at Mubi, Adamawa was followed by three sporadic shootings in Yola yesterday evening – leaving about an additional 12 persons of south east origin dead.

The Governor has offered a N25m reward for anyone with info leading to arrest gunmen who killed 26 people in Mubi and Yola

Meanwhile the President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan is scheduled to depart for South Africa for the Mandela gala on Monday January 9, 2012. The President’s advance team is said to have arrived South Africa yesterday.

Interestingly, the President’s trip coincides with the start of a massive protests by the labor unions over the sudden increase in fuel prices.

Stay tuned.

Oil Subsidy: 20 Governors Snub Jonathan

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Yesterday, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan called on the 36 State governors in Nigeria for a meeting in Abuja, the federal capital of Nigeria to discuss details of the impending strike by the national leader unions. As 247ureports.com gathered, the meeting was not attended by the entirety of the invited governors. The meeting was held yesterday at 9pm.

Available information indicate that a majority of the state governors are uneasy over the manner the President increased the price of fuel by over 100% in one scoop. Some within the governors consider the oil subsidy removal by Jonathan as a Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] affair and not a Nigerian affair – while others consider the removal as simply a bad policy against the people of Nigeria. Some of the PDP governors who are anti subsidy have gone ahead to blame the president for the complete removal, they said they would have preferred staggered removal.

The Governors of Lagos State, Nassarawa and 18 others snubbed the President’s invite. Sources close to the presidency briefed 247ureports.com that the President and his men were not in the best of moods following the disappointing turnout by the governors. The President’s men had hoped on utilitizing the Governors to enforce a crack down of the labor unions against the impending strike scheduled to start on Monday January 9, 2012.

Adding muster to an already degenerating situation is the troubles within the President’s cabinet via the offices of some of the Ministers who do not agree with the increase in fuel prices. Some of them have become latently involved in the external protests against the fuel price increase. The sudden summoning of the lower chamber of the National Assembly by the leadership for an emergency session on Sunday January 8, 2012 by 3pm is reported to have the presidency sleeping uneasy. The Secretary to the Federal Government, Pius Anyim is reported to have been despatched to “reachout” to the leadership of the lower chamber to avert what the presidency fears may become an embarrassing situation for the President.

Stay tuned

 

Nigerians Should Ignore Any Black Market Injunction – NLC

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Press Statement NIGERIANS SHOULD IGNORE ANY BLACK MARKET  INJUNCTION
There are rumours circulating that the desperate Jonathan administration has purchased a black market injunction possibly from the National Industrial Court (NIC). The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is not aware of any such injunction, we were no…t served any paper of court appearance, we were not present in court nor were we represented in any capacity.
Also, the NLC was not served any court summons nor were we served any court order. The cretins in the Jonathan administration imagine that by seeking to drag the judiciary in the mud, they can avert the general strikes, rallies and mass protests that will begin on Monday 9th January, 2012.  They cannot make the simple analysis that the whole populace is angry and that Nigerians do not need any group to ask them to protest an evil policy that seeks to impoverish them.
The NLC asks Nigerians to ignore this childish ploy and rumour; there is no going back on next week’s protests and shutdown. The issue of the strikes, protests and against an obnoxious policy, is not and industrial relations one; it is not between an employer and an employee. Rather it is one between the Nigerian People versus the Jonathan Government. So if the issue was taken before the National Industrial Court, then it is the wrong place to shop for a black market injunction.
To obtain an injunction from a court that has no competent jurisdiction is to try playing ping pong with the judiciary. Labour reiterates that the constitutional and fundamental right of Nigerians to protest cannot be annulled. The NLC asks Nigerians to ignore such rumours; the strikes, mass rallies and protests will go on as scheduled.  The NLC advises the Jonathan administration to listen to the people or face their justifiable wrath.
Owei Lakemfa Acting General Secretary

House of Rep To Hold Emergency Session Sunday

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The leadership of the lower house of the National Assembly has summoned the lawmakers for an emergency session scheduled for Sunday January 8, 2012. The announcement was made on the late evening of Friday January 6, 2012. The aim of the emergency session is not readily clear.

The call for emergency meeting came on the heels of an injunction obtained by President Jonathan from an industrial court against the planned mass-action strike starting Monday January 9, 2011. The Labor Congress and the other organizers of the strike who waved aside to the injunction stated an Industrial court does not have the power to issue injunctions rather it is given the power to mediate between labor unions and the employer [government].

Already, sources have pointed to hushed moves to initiate impeachment proceedings against the President for his mishandling of the Boko Haram menace and the oil subsidy removal. 247ureports.com had reported on the imminent impeachment threat last week. Our sources reveal that the legislators may call for a vote of no confidence of the President.

Stay tuned

2 Killed, 3 Injured By Unidetified Gunmen In Mubi, Adamawa

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Two persons have been killed and three others wounded by unidentified gunmen in Mubi, Adamawa.

 

An eye witness, Malam Sulaiman Bappa, said that two gunmen on a  motorcycle shot the victims at a residential area, adjacent to a beer  parlour in Sabon-Pegi area of Mubi, at about 8:30 pm yesterday.

Bappa said the two persons died instantly, while three others sustained injuries from the attack.

“One of the victims is a dealer in cattle and he might have been tracked by armed robbers”, Bappa added.

Mr Sakawa Israel, the Principal Medical Officer of Mubi General  Hospital, confirmed that the corpses were deposited at the mortuary and  that those injured were currently receiving treatment at the hospital.

When contacted, the Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO), ASP Altine  Daniel, also confirmed the incident, saying that investigation into the  case was in progress.

However, the bandits had on December 28, 2011, killed four traders at the Mubi Central Market.

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Source: QuickNews-Africa.Net

Deregulation Is A Necessary Change – President Jonathan

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President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has said deregulation of the petroleum sector is a necessary change Nigeria must make if government will have a significant impact in the lives of citizens.

 

President Jonathan was speaking to Prof. Jeffrey Sachs, Special Adviser to the United Nations’ Secretary General, at State House, Friday.

 

He said the country’s 2010 capital budget was funded with borrowed money, the equivalent of which was used to fund the subsidy last year, adding that “no meaningful infrastructural development is possible in such an environment”.

 

President Jonathan stated that Administration was committed to making significant and enduring interventions in the areas of power generation and supply, roads, railways, capacity building and health, adding that these sectors have already been opened to private sector participation.

 

The President expressed appreciation to Prof. Sachs for his concern for the development of Nigeria and Africa.

 

Earlier, Prof. Sachs had commended President Jonathan for the conditional grants to local governments for the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals, describing it as “one of the most innovative schemes of using national resources for local government development”.

 

He described President Jonathan’s decision to withdraw petroleum subsidy as “a bold and correct policy”, adding that funds so released would go a long way to rapid infrastructural development and the health sector.

 

Musa Aduwak

For: Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity)

 

January 6, 2012

 

Oil Subsidy: At N65 per liter, Nigeria Makes N33.50 Profit Per Liter

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The prices of petroleum products in Nigeria have been a source of contention and controversy. This paper proposes to clarify the actual total cost by adding the costs of all components in retail supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS aka Petrol or Gasoline) the most widely demanded and utilized petroleum product.

BACKGROUND

The prices of petroleum products in Nigeria have been a source of contention and controversy. This paper proposes to clarify the actual total cost by adding the costs of all components in retail supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS aka Petrol or Gasoline) the most widely demanded and utilized petroleum product. The cost components are finding, developing, producing, refining, distributing and marketing. The amount of subsidy on the retail price is then determined by the difference between the actual cost and the retail price.

The method adopted for this cost determination is similar to that used by the American Petroleum Institute (API) for the analysis of the actual total cost of gasoline (PMS) in the U.S. It splits the retail cost into the major components: cost of crude oil, the cost of refining and marketing and the sum of all taxes. This method is simple and accurate.

The most accurate industry data has been obtained from and confirmed independently for this effort by industry experts. The draft paper was also reviewed and endorsed by several other experts. The data and analysis herein are as at October, 2005. Exchange rate applied is N130/USD.

THE PETROL PROCESS

To purchase petrol in Nigeria, we typically drive to a Fuel Station. The fuel attendant pumps the requested quantity and payment is made in cash, electronically (Value card, Top card, etc.) or otherwise. The Fuel station typically receives its supply from road tankers which have been loaded at an NNPC or other fuel depots. The NNPC depots receive their supply from local refineries through pipelines. Imported petroleum products are evacuated from ocean-going tankers to local depots which then supply to Fuel stations by road tankers.

Local refineries receive their feed Crude oil through pipelines from oil terminals. The Crude oil is produced by oil companies from wells in their OMLs (Oil Mining Lease). The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) is the senior partner in Joint Ventrure (JV) oil producing companies. The NNPC manages FGN investments in the JVs. Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) are a different relationship from Joint Ventures. This determination is based on JV production which represents most of the Nigerian production. PSC production can be similarly treated.

COMPONENT COSTS Crude oil is first discovered (Exploration), then the discovery is developed (Field Development) before it can be produced (Production Operations). It is then refined into petroleum products which are distributed and sold for utilization. The costs of Exploration, Field Development, Production Operations, Refining, Distribution and Marketing (Retail sales) are identified herein. The sum of all product cost components is the actual cost of the product.

EXPLORATION COSTS

Exploration costs typically include seismic acquisition and interpretation costs. Exploratory well costs can be included in development costs since the exploratory well can be easily converted to a development well. 3D Siesmic acquisition costs vary based on contractor, coverage, terrain, time, season, water depth, methods, commercial terms, special considerations, etc. Typical costs range from 20 – 70,000 USD/KM2. Interpretation costs range typically from 2-8,000 USD/KM2. We will use 50,000 USD/KM2 as estimated cost of 3D seismic acquisition and interpretation. For a 10 KM2 field with 20 Million barrels recovery; exploration costs can be estimated to be about: – 0.025 USD/Bbl. This is equivalent to, 0.02 N/Litre.

DEVELOPMENT COSTS

Opportunity development costs depend on field location, size, development philosophy and concept. Development cost will include capital costs of field facilities design, procurement, transportation, installation and commissioning. Cost of wells and pipelines to existing terminals are also included. It will typically vary from 2-5 USD/Bbl.

At the NAPE (National Association of Petroleum Explorationists) annual conference in 2005, offshore development costs was indicated as 5 USD/Bbl. However, historical data for completed projects offshore are closer to 3 USD/Bbl. Onshore development costs are also significantly lower than offshore costs. To averagely represent the entire JV operational environment scenarios (offshore and onshore) this paper will capture development cost as: – 4 USD/Bbl. This is equivalent to, 3.27 N/Litre.

OPERATION COSTS (OPEX)

Current (2005) production operation costs of major oil companies surveyed indicated a range of 1.5-4 USD/Bbl. This includes all overhead costs across relevant functions. This paper will capture OPEX as: – 3.0 USD/Bbl. This is equivalent to, 2.45 N/Litre.

Therefore, actual crude oil production cost to the Nigerian JV can then be estimated as:

(0.025 + 4.0 + 3.0) USD/Bbl = 7.025 USD/Bbl.

(0.02 + 3.27 + 2.45) N/Litre = 5.74 N/Litre.

Previous government (NNPC) estimates (1994 – ’98) yielded 5 USD/Bbl. The difference in these estimates can be attributed to rising oil industry service costs due to international market dynamics, inflation and/or to estimate basis differences.

For typical refinery yield of 95%; 5.74 N/Litre translates to – 6.04 N/Litre.

This compensates for volume losses inherent in the crude oil refining process.

REFINING COSTS

Installed refining capacity in Nigeria stands at 445,000 Barrels per day (BPD).

This is made up of:

1. Old Port Harcourt Refinery – 60,000 BPD

2. New Port Harcourt Refinery – 150,000 BPD

3. Warri Refinery – 125,000 BPD (Upgraded from 100)

4. Kaduna Refinery – 110,000 BPD (Two trains, 60+50)

Refining cost data from these refineries could not be obtained during our survey. Even when such data is available, they are very unreliable. According to the Nigerian Vice-President during an interview with Thisday newspaper in August 2005, “We have never got correct statistics from NNPC. They will never be able to tell you the correct thing. We have that problem with NNPC”.

To estimate refining costs, we can rely on international industry data from similar refineries. Contemporary refining technology is of the Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) process like most Nigerian refineries. This process requires fluidizing the solid catalyst and re-circulating it continuously from the reaction section of the cracker to the catalyst regeneration section and back to the reaction section.

Data published by the American Petroleum Institute (API) estimates Gross Refining and Distribution/Marketing Costs and Profits at $1.00 per Gallon in October 2005. Using a 50/50 split as established by historical U.S. cost trends, it can be clearly concluded that Refining costs and Profits, account for $0.50 per Gallon. This value includes the profits of the refineries.

The estimate can be used for this determination since it is from mostly FCC process based refineries just as most Nigerian refineries. Actual refining costs may be lower in Nigeria since labour costs are significantly lower in Nigeria. $0.50 per Gallon translates to $21/Bbl. We will capture refining costs as $21/Bbl. This is, 17.17 N/Litre.

DISTRIBUTION COSTS

Distribution costs in Nigeria are established by regulation. This is the cost margin allowed for Road Tankers that transport Petrol from the Depots to the Fuel Stations. As at Oct. 2005, it was, 2.42 N/Litre.

MARKETING COSTS

Marketing Costs in Nigeria are also established by regulation. This is the cost margin allowed for Oil marketing companies that operate Fuel Retail Stations. As at Oct. 2005, it was, 5.87 N/Litre.

TOTAL COST

The total cost can then be determined as the summation of all relevant cost components previously estimated viz., Exploration, Development, Production Operations, Refining, Distribution and Marketing.

Total Cost = (6.04 + 17.17 + 2.42 + 5.87) N/Litre.

= 31.50 N/Litre

Therefore, we can conclude that the Average cost of the Petrol dispensed at retail Fuel Stations in Nigeria is, 31.50 N/Litre.

CURRENT RETAIL PRICE

Current retail Price as established by regulation has been, N65/Liter since 2005. This regulated price is split to cost components in line with the following benchmarks;

          56.71 – Depot Price.

2.42 – Transportation Margin.

1.15 – Dealer’s Margin.

4.72 – Marketing Company Margin.

65.00 Retail Price.

 

SUBSIDY

 

Subsidy can be determined as Actual Cost – Sale Price.

Consequently,

Subsidy = (31.50 – 65) N/Litre. =-33.50N/Litre

CONCLUSION

We can confidently conclude that government makes a profit of 33.50 N/Litre on PMS (Petrol) at the current price of 65 N/Litre. This translates to a very high 106% profit per litre.

In addition the government benefits from royalties, taxes and fees which were not factored in this simplified analysis. When factored, the actual crude cost per barrel to government is significantly less and its profit correspondingly higher.

The claim of subsidies on petroleum products is clearly incorrect.

POST SCRIPT

This analysis has been deliberately simplified to ensure wider appeal and easy comprehension. A much more detailed and rigorous analysis will be inappropriate for the objective indicated. It will also come to the same conclusion and have only an added academic value.

For imported Petrol, this estimate will not apply.

Imported Petrol has unnecessary additional costs like;

1. International Crude Oil Sale Price and Profit Margins.

2. Transportation Costs of Products from source Country to Nigeria.

3. Port Charges, Taxes and Export duties at source Country.

4. Insurance costs for transportation.

5. Brokerage costs for agents.

To improve domestic supply and reduce cost, the following can be considered;

– Maximize existing local refining capacity utilization.

– Increase existing local refining capacity by building additional refineries.

– Improve JV crude oil development and production efficiency to reduce costs.

C SUPA 2006.

References;

> Offshore Engineering Operations Overview, JM Campbell and Company.

> Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE), 2005 Annual Conference Proceedings.

> API Statistics: U.S. Pump Price Update – Oct. 3, 2005, API Website.

> National Petroleum News, Vol. 96, No. 6, June 2004.

> Thisday Newspapers, August 22, 2005.

> Petroleum Marketing Monthly, June 2004, Energy Information Administration.

> Behind the bottom line, Energy Information Administration, June 2006.

SUPA Paper number: TP01-626.

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Source: SupaNigeria.Org

No Vehicle Was Burnt In Okene Anti-Subsidy Protest – Senator Abatemi-Usman

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Senator Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman representing Kogi Central on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has debunked media report in a national daily that several vehicles were burnt in Okene, the headquarters of the senatorial district during the anti-fuel subsidy removal protest.

A national newspaper had reported that scores of vehicle plying Okene highway, especially those suspected to belong to state and federal governments were said to have been set ablaze in the course of the demonstration.

But in a statement signed by Michael Jegede, the Media Assistant to the Senator, Abatemi-Usman said the report was untrue and a mere figment of the reporter’s imagination.

The Vice Chairman of Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs maintained that the said protest in Okene was very peaceful, as the people only came out to register their dissatisfaction over the withdrawal of subsidy.

“I wish to state very clearly that the report that several vehicles were burnt in Okene during the protest against subsidy removal in my senatorial zone, written by one Emmanuel Adeyemi in Lokoja and published on page 14 of the Daily Sun of Thursday, January 5, 2012 was untrue and misleading. The people of my constituency only came out to express their grievances over the removal of fuel subsidy which has caused them untold hardship since the beginning of the New Year. Unlike some other places that such protest turned violent, the people of Kogi Central Senatorial district, who have since resolved to live in peace, comported themselves in a peaceful manner during the protest, which according to my findings did not last as long as five hours as indicated in the report,” Abatemi-Usman said.

The Senator advised that journalists should always endeavour to verify any information before them to ensure factual reporting of events, so as to avoid misleading the public and creating a wrong impression about a person or group of persons.

He once again called on Nigerians to exercise caution and restraint on the issue of fuel subsidy, while expresing hope that something would definitely be done to reduce the unnecessary hardship the people are made go through.

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