By Brave Dickson
The ravaging coronavirus pandemic has forced a lot of illegal crude refiners popularly called Kpo-fire in the Niger Delta region out of business.
The crude refiners who spoke through their close source, Comrade Matthew Dighi told our correspondent that the situation caused by the pandemic had chased away their buyers.
He said: “Especially in the Ogoni axis, a lot of these Kpo-fire boys have either stopped or suspended the oil bunkering business because of COVID-19.”
Their source also said the movement of petroleum products had been very difficult within this period of the lockdown, maintaining that the boys had decided to venture into other means of livelihood.
Comrade Dighi also commended some of the illegal crude refiners for not chosen crime as a survival option.
“I think soot will also reduce since the Kpo-fire business has reduced.
“I hail some of these Kpo-fire boys who have decided not to choose crime as the next means of survival.
“I think it is time for governments to legalize the Kpo-fire business in the Niger Delta region so that these boys can be stable in the crude oil refining sector.
“It will also make sense if these boys are also given some palliatives during this period of hardship owing to the fact that a lot of them now have families to cater for, “he said.
