by Stanley Azuakola

On the issue of the indicted fuel marketers, the language of the government is gradually changing.

Previously, the government promised to go after all indicted marketers; but now, it’s promising to still go after them, but quite willing to negotiate with those who have “minor infractions,” so that they can “begin to import fuel”.

Hear it from the Madam Prime Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala herself, “Those who we consider their infractions not too grievous, we are willing to talk to them and if they are willing to work with us, we would also be willing to settle their claims so that they can go and import.”

But she had news for those with more grievous infractions: “But to some of those who are bent on blackmailing the Federal Government even though they have committed very serious infractions in the subsidy, we are not willing to pay them when they have not cleared their case.”

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala said this on Thursday in a meeting with some oil marketers, who met with her to find a lasting solution to the fuel crisis being presently witnessed in the country. In attendance were the minister of State for Finance, Dr. Yerima Ngama, the director-general, Budget Office of the Federation Dr. Bright Okogu; the DG, Debt Management Office, Mr. Abraham Nwankwo, representatives of Nipco Plc, Oando Plc, Energy Oil, Folawiyo Group, Sahara Group, among others.

Echoing the clarification of her minister of State, Dr Yerima Ngama  on Thursday, Okonjo-Iweala said government has been making payments to genuine marketers and dismissed the allegations that they were owing marketers billions of naira for imported fuel.

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala also threatened to publish the names of marketers who had received the payments within the period in question and those confirmed with infractions.

According to a Punch report, she said:

“We will not pay those who had queries as to whether the subsidy payments made to them were really due to them. Those under investigation or have question marks from the committee were not paid. We paid those that had a clean bill between April and August.

“Now what has happened is that some of those who have been told that they have a case to answer have organised and want to hold the nation to ransom. As Nigerians we have said that we want to do the right thing; and we are trying to do the right thing, we have had this investigation.”

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala also clarified the terms for negotiation between the government and the marketers with minor infractions.

She said:

“We are talking about the fact that they have outstanding claims which have not been paid and that is the basis of the dialogue and as I have said to you earlier, yes they have outstanding claims, we also have claims outstanding against them and that is what the dialogue is all about.

“So, we will dialogue with each other on these claims and hopefully at the end of this, we will be able to come to some agreement about the net claims that will be paid and then we will be able to move on. We are very willing to listen if there are genuine people that want to talk with government.”

#InCaseYouMissedIt, the Federal Government is also dialoguing with members of the deadly Boko Haram sect.