By Ezrel Tabiowo
Abuja
Tired of the never ending blame game and excuses by the Petroleum Ministry over the lingering fuel scarcity, the Senate yesterday summoned the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachickwu, to appear before it today to explain the unavailability of the product at filling stations across the country.
The summon on the Minister was issued by its committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) after carrying out on the spot assessment of the crisis in major filling stations within Abuja Metropolis yesterday.
Apparently angered by what they met on ground with many filling stations not selling product due to alleged lack of supply from NNPC Depot Suleja, amidst long queues of motorists waiting under the scorching sun for the non available product, the committee’s Acting Chairman, Jibrin Barau, along with two of his members, said the Petroleum Minister must definitely appear before them today to explain what led to this situation and way out of it.
He said the situation was so pathetic and bad which made the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to call on the committee to swing into action as a way of baling Nigerians out of the crisis.
“This situation is very bad and unacceptable, hence, the need for the Minister to appear before us tomorrow (today), and unveil his plan of way out to us.
“Even if he doesn’t have any plan yet out of the lingering problem, the Senate President and the entire members of the committee are more than ready to rub minds with him for that needed purpose.”
Senate Minority whip and a member of the committee, Senator Philip Aduda, called on the federal government to arrest the situation fast, by making fuel available to Nigerians, adding that “what Nigerians needed his fuel and not blame game.”
He said: “The government should look for petrol and ensure that it is given to the people, demands are meant for the people, for us, to Nigerians.
“It is unacceptable, we are Nigerians and it will be bad for us to continue remaining in queues. If the APC leaders like, let them blame themselves that their problem but the most important thing is for us to have fuel in the federal republic of Nigeria.
“That is what we are looking for and that is what we want. We want to see all these queues disappear.”
