Workers Shut Down Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency

Workers of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, under the aegis of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, yesterday, shut down the operations of the PPPRA nationwide over the appointment of another Acting Executive Secretary of the agency.

The new Acting Executive Secretary, Mrs. Sotonye Iyoyo, a staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, was introduced to senior officials of the PPPRA, Monday, as the new chief executive of the agency by the acting permanent secretary from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources in conjunction with two directors of the ministry.

The workers promised to continue the protest until the Federal Government addresses the issue of who the actual chief executive of the PPPRA is, between Mr. Moses Mbaba, who the immediate past Executive Secretary handed over to last Thursday and Iyoyo.

Speaking in Abuja, Mr. Victor Ononokpono, Chairman, PENGASSAN, PPPRA Branch, alleged that on assumption of office on Monday, Iyoyo immediately approved the payment of N3.4 billion subsidy claims to oil marketers under questionable circumstances, as the payments were due in the second quarter of 2016.

He also called on the anti-graft agencies in the country to beam their searchlight on the PPPRA, as according to him, something is amiss. He blamed the confusion on external forces and entrenched interests who are keen on carrying out some questionable agenda through the PPPRA.