By Justice Nwafor
Youth groups in Imo state on Monday morning stormed the Owerri zonal office of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to protest what they described as conspiracy between DPR and petroleum marketers to sell premium motor spirit (PMS) above the approved price of 145 naira per liter in the state.
The groups which were three in number include: Niger Delta youth forum, National youth council of Nigeria, and joint national association of persons with disabilities.
The youths who arrived the office in various vehicles chanted songs against the leadership of the DPR and displayed placards with inscriptions such as: DPR has lost the power to control the PMS dealers; Imo state disabled community condemns PMS price hike, DPR take note; It is now obvious that Imo DPR is incompetent; Imo DPR is dead; Imo DPR you have failed in your statutory mandate, among others.
Addressing the leadership of the DPR, the President of Niger Delta youth forum, Imo state chapter, Ezekwesiri Nwuwa accused Imo DPR of treating the people of Imo state with “disrespect and disdain”, averring that “it is only in Imo state that as at 8th January 2018, petroleum is still being sold above 240 naira per liter in all filling stations in the state apart from the NNPC owned facilities.”
He went further to accuse the DPR of refusing to make any “reasonable move” to carry out their constitutional duties. He warned DPR “not to take the peace loving nature of Imo people for granted”, quipping that “we have the capacity to go violent”.
Leaders of the other groups also spoke in line with what Mr. Nwuwa said, with Mr. Chukwuemeka Israel, Chairman of youth council of Nigeria, Imo state chapter, demanding for the reversal of pump price to 145 naira, stating that “failure to do that we are going to shutdown DPR Imo state.”
He went further to specifically “demand for the immediate sack of the man in charge of DPR in South East and Imo state.”
Reacting, the zonal controller of DPR, Peter Ikechukwu Eugene, debunked the allegation that his organization has conspired with petroleum marketers and that he, alongside his staff, have failed in their constitutional duties.
He revealed that his team has been monitoring the situation in the state and has forced some fuel stations to sell at the approved 145 naira per liter, but regretted that the fuel stations reverse back to unapproved prices when DPR officials leave the stations.
His explanations fell on deaf ears as the youths insisted that his team has not done anything meaningful.
This led the DPR officials to invite select leaders of the youths to a closed door discussion which was not fruitful as the youths, after the meeting, demanded to go with the monitoring team to see things for themselves.
