As fuel crisis worsens throughout the country, the senate president, Dr. Bukola Saraki has directed the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) to return from its recess and immediately convene a meeting with industry stakeholders.
Following the directive, the committee’s chairman, Senator Kabiru Marafa, said today in Abuja that the committee had summoned the minister of state for petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, the group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Maikanti Baru and other relevant stakeholders in the petroleum sector to a crucial meeting on Thursday January 4, 2018.
He further added that the meeting which will be held in the Senate Hearing Room 221 and its proceedings aired live on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), is meant to address the lingering fuel scarcity bedevilling the nation in the last few weeks with a view to put a complete stop to the unsavoury development.
Meanwhile, former governor of the old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, has blamed the current petrol crisis on activities of saboteurs in the oil industry.
Musa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone from Kaduna on Thursday that Nigerians were going through this hardship due to selfish interest of some people.
He alleged that some petroleum marketers, in connivance with some government officials, hoarded petroleum products to create artificial scarcity for profiteering.
Musa said that this was the reason petroleum products were not available at filling stations and the price hiked at the black market.
He described the situation as unacceptable and urged government to stop activities of “saboteurs” with a view to making the products available to all.
It is very unfortunate that Nigerians are going through this hardship to get fuel which should be available to all.
“Without doubt, saboteurs are behind this problem. Some marketers, with the conspiracy of some government officials, hoard or divert petroleum products for their selfish interests.
“The government should get to the root of this. We cannot continue to have this problem, especially around Yuletide period.
“Nigerians have suffered enough in the past few days. Government should find a lasting solution,” he said.
Musa said that Nigeria would continue to have this problem so long as people put personal interests above public interest.
He said privatisation of some of the critical sectors of the economy had impoverished the masses, while producing super rich few.
The former governor said for the people to actually feel the impact of governance, government should be more involved in the running of the economy.
He said that he was sympathetic with Nigerians over the fuel crisis and urged them to play their part in ending corruption in the system.
