Oscarline Onwuemenyi
27 January 2017, Sweetcrude, Abuja – The Senate, on Thursday, issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to, within one week, end the lingering scarcity of petrol and clear queues in filling stations across the country.
The resolution followed the unanimous adoption of an interim report of the joint committee on Petroleum Resources over the lingering fuel crisis in the country.
Presenting the report, Chairman of the Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Sen. Kabiru Marafa, said the panel recommended that NNPC be issued a 7-day ultimatum to ensure the disappearance of the queues from fuel stations across the country.
He stressed the need for security agencies to ensure effective border patrol to check diversion of petroleum products to neighbouring African countries.
The report also recommended that the Department for Petroleum Resources (DPR) should double efforts to enforce compliance with government’s regulated pump price of petroleum products.
“During our recess, the committee moved around some cities, including Abuja and Lagos, to ascertain the situation on ground. When we thought that we were making progress, we just realised that the queues were resurfacing in fuel stations.
“We also engaged with the NNPC and other stakeholders and we were informed that there were challenges of supply coupled with massive smuggling of petroleum products to neighbouring countries for higher prices.
“Also, there is the problem of marketers selling above approved pump price,” the report stated.
In his remarks, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, urged NNPC to ensure compliance with the resolution and endeavour to end the queues within seven days.