Petroleum Minister Diezani Allison-Madueke has been over-ruled by President Goodluck Jonathan on the sale of the country’s four refineries.

The minister had last month announced that the refineries would be sold this quarter but the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Union (NUPENG) warned government to abandon the plan or they would go on strike and ground the economy.

Speaking on the issue yesterday, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, told State House correspondents in Abuja: “Government is not going to sell any refinery. There is no such plan and there is no presidential approval for such. Nobody, not even the Minister of Petroleum has the powers to sell any government property.”

Abati spoke even as the Ministry of Petroleum Resources dismissed rumours about looming fuel scarcity and price increase. In a statement in Abuja by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr. Danladi Kifasi, said the rumours lacked foundation.

In another statement, also in Abuja, Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, spokesman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), disclosed that the corporation has the mandate to keep at least 32 days of fuel reserve in case of any unforeseen circumstance.

•Photo shows Petroleum Minister Diezani Allison-Madueke.