The House of Representatives yesterday urged relevant security agencies to apprehend oil marketers and other economic saboteurs responsible for the fuel scarcity across the country.
This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Leke Abejide during plenary in Abuja.
He said the National Assembly had approved money for subsidy on premium motor spirit (PMS), popularly called petrol to mitigate unforeseen circumstances in the areas of shortages of the product.
He noted 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.
He said the product is being sold at discriminatory prices in filling stations across the country which fuelled speculations that the government might have begun to remove subsidies on petrol.
The House is worried that due to the scarcity, Nigerians are exposed to all sorts of hardships, which have resulted in a hike in transportation fares and high cost of some major food items.
He said there was the allegation of a drop in the volume of petrol supply to marketers by private depots, which according to him is creating a dangerous mind-set in the country.
He said: “The House is concerned that the current fuel crisis across the country may worsen in the days ahead, with the introduction of a N16.00 per litre charge.
“The House is 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 litre charges, which hitherto were paid in naira but now being charged in US dollars.
“The House is further concerned that the scarcity is associated with saboteurs among some of the key stakeholders who deliberately manipulated the system.
“The House is worried that due to the scarcity, Nigerians are exposed to all sorts of hardships, which have resulted in a hike in transportation fares and high cost of some major food items.
“The House is also worried that as a result of petrol scarcity, Nigerians are not finding it easy in their day-to-day livelihood activities.”
The House therefore urged the NNPC Ltd., as the sole importer, to urgently ease the queues in filling stations, and also mandated the relevant Committees to investigate the matter within 48 hours and report to the House.
It also invited the relevant regulatory authority and the NNPC to appear before the leadership of the House of Reps today. (NAN)
