25 November 2015, Sweetcrude, Abuja – Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, has said Nigeria would have to find a long-term solution to the frequent scarcity of petrol in filling stations across the country.
Kachikwu stated this in Abuja, there were critical systemic issues which posed challenges to the seamless supply and distribution of petrol in the country that must be dealt with.
Although he did not list these issues, Kachikwu explained that he was working with President Muhammadu Buhari who is the substantive Minister of Petroleum Resources to find such long term solutions to the situation.
He charged fuel marketers to pick up the gauntlet and activate all necessary machinery and mechanism to guarantee unimpeded distribution of petroleum products across the country.
Speaking on delays in the disbursement of the subsidy debt owed to petrol marketers, the minister assured that they will get their money within a week or two, once the Legislature approves the payment.
Kachikwu also instructed the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to distribute the petrol of any filling stations involved in hoarding, to customers free of charge.
He added that the queues in the stations could also be attributed to the pipelines not being able to pump effectively. He however said measures had been put in place to activate some of the pipelines.