Fuel scarcity: NNPCL, others to face Reps Panel today

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives, Wednesday, summoned the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and relevant regulatory authorities to appear before its leadership, to answer certain questions of the persisting scarcity of petrol across the country. 

The meeting is expected to hold Thursday at the National Assembly at 2pm.

While urging the NNPC Limited as a sole importer to urgently ease off these queues in filling stations, the House also called on relevant Security Agencies to fish out the oil marketers and other economic saboteurs that may be responsible for the fuel scarcity across the Nigeria.

The resolution followed a motion brought under matters of urgent public importance on Wednesday, by Hon. Leke Abejide on the need for the concerned agencies to immediately end petrol scarcity across the country.

The lawmaker noted that the National Assembly has approved the money for the payment of subsidy on the petroleum products so as to mitigate against unforeseen circumstances in the areas of shortages of the product, lamenting that for “over three months there has been persistent scarcity of PMS in many parts of the country and the situation appears to be getting worse”.

According to him, there are uneven pump prices being dispensed by the Filling Stations across the country which fuelled speculations that government may have begun to remove subsidy on petrol, adding that there is the allegation of drop in petrol supply to marketers by private depots which is creating a dangerous mindset in the country.

“The current fuel crisis across the country may worsen in the days ahead with the introduction of a N16.00 per liter charge”, he stated, noting that another contributing factor to the scarcity of the product may be unconnected with the increased cost of hiring daughter vessels in the hike in liter charges which hitherto were paid in Naira but now being charged in US Dollar.

He said partly, “the scarcity is associated with saboteurs among some of the key stakeholders who deliberately manipulated the system”, and that due to the scarcity, Nigerians are exposed to all sorts of hardships which has resulted in a hike in transportation fares and high cost of some major food items.

“Also concerned that another contributing factor to the scarcity of the product may be unconnected with the increased cost of hiring daughter vessels in the hike in liter charges which hitherto were paid in Naira but now being charged in US Dollars; 

“Further concerned that the scarcity is associated with saboteurs among some of the key stakeholders who deliberately manipulated the system; 

Also worried that as a result of petrol scarcity Nigerians are not finding it easy in their day-to-day livelihood activities”, he said.