Human rights activist and fiery lawyer, Chief Femi Falana(SAN), has mocked the Federal Government for importing fuel, even from non-producing countries, instead of fixing its four refineries.
He also berated the Federal Government for not leaving fuel prices to market forces, adding that there is always an annual budget for repairing the refineries, yet they remained comatose.
Falana made these points on VanguardLive TV, where he also stated that he had it on good authority that if the Federal Government had not rescinded its decision to increase fuel price to N212, there would have been reactions from Nigerians.
According to the legal luminary, “this is an oil-producing country and on a yearly basis huge money is an earmark for fixing refineries.
“But instead of fixing the refineries, the government imports fuel from other countries, including from countries that don’t produce fuel.”
Falana also faulted the government’s approach in tackling the activities of oil marketers in the country.
On whether market forces can determine the pump price of petroleum products, Falana said: “Market forces exist in the imagination of imperialist.
“As far as our laws are concerned, there is no place for market forces determining prices of petrol.
“PPPRA just woke up one morning and said they want to sell petrol for N212 and the President and no one knows about it? And no one has been fired?
“The law only permits the Petroleum Minister to such within legal frameworks.”
VANGUARD
