The House of Representatives on Tuesday, called on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to ensure an adequate supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly called petrol within seven days.
At the plenary, the House asked NNPC Limited to end the “artificial scarcity within the next one week to ease the suffering of Nigerians,” while calling on the Nigerian Midstream Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NMDPRC) to seek the collaboration of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the DSS to ensure that fuel is sold at the regulated price and in all retail outlets.
The House further mandated its Committees on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance with the resolution.
The resolution was based on a motion of urgent public importance moved by a member of the House, Musa Abdullahi, titled ‘Urgent Need for the Government to End the Current Fuel Scarcity.’
Abdullahi in his motion noted that in the last few months, Nigerians have been subjected to untold hardships caused by the lingering petrol scarcity, affecting economic activities and making the already trying times in the country more difficult.
“The House is worried that most of those fuelling stations have resulted in selling fuel at over N300 per litre. It is observed with dismay that those who are gaining from this artificial fuel scarcity appear to be smiling home as a result of this ugly development and this has the potency to provoke innocent Nigerians against the Government”, he said.
He further expressed worry that those charged with the responsibility of taking control of the situation are not doing enough to combat the ugly development.
“The House is disturbed that lingering fuel scarcity has compounded the woes of millions of Nigerians struggling to survive, as prices of items continue to make a rapid surge. It has added a high cost of living to Nigerians which surged to a 17-year high of 21.09 percent in October this year.
“The House is further disturbed that the inability of the regulators of the petroleum sector to end this artificial scarcity of petroleum products forced the Department of State Services to issue an ultimatum to the NNPC, and oil marketers to end the artificial scarcity within 48 hours”, he added.
Abdullah also noted that the NMDPRA advanced excuses to justify the fuel Scarcity.
