State Petroleum Minister Summoned by Nigerian Senate over Continued Fuel Scarcity

State Petroleum Minister Summoned by Nigerian Senate over Continued Fuel Scarcity

Worried by the persistent fuel scarcity across the nation, the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) has summoned the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachickwu, to appear before it tomorrow and explain why fuel scarcity has continued unabated.

  Kachikwu summon was as a result of the committee's oversight visit to major petrol stations in the country's capital, Abuja metropolis today.

 The committee  had expressed concern over non-availability of petrol in many stations following lack of supply to Abuja from the Suleja depot of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) while touring the capital city.
According to the committee's acting Chairman, Jibrin Barau, summoning Kachikwu had become imminent in view of the grave effects of the scarcity on the masses.

Barau disclosed that on-the-spot-assessment exercise carried out by the committee was spurred by the concern expressed by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, whom he said asked the committee to intervene and ensure that the crisis was promptly nipped in the bud.
Provoked by the seeming unpromising state of the scarcity, Barau described the situation as unacceptable.

"This situation is very bad and unacceptable; hence, the need for the minister to appear before us tomorrow (today) and unveil his plan on the way out of the chaos 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," Barau said.