Senate Raises The Alarm Over Looming Fuel Crisis

The Senate yesterday raised the alarm over impending fuel scarcity in the country during the yuletide, saying it is bound to happen unless urgent steps are taken by the federal government to avert it.

The lawmakers hinged their prediction of a looming fuel scarcity on the recent threat by oil marketers to embark on strike.

Consequently, the Red Chamber urged oil marketers to rescind the ultimatum in the interest of the generality of the people.

It also urged the federal government to take the necessary action to resolve the issues immediately by ordering concerned agencies to pay the subsidy arrears as was approved by Federal Executive Council and passed by the National Assembly.

The decision by Senate was sequel to a motion by Senator Kabiru Marafa, chairman, Senate committee on Petroleum (Downstream).

Leading the debate, Marafa said that oil marketers were yet to be paid almost N1 trillion by the executive arm of government.

According to him, the debts dated back to the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2006.

Some of the Senators including Ahmad Lawan, Ibrahim Dambaba, Emmanuel Paulker and Barnabas Gemade, who made their submissions accused the executive arm of sabotaging itself.

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over plenary urged the federal government to act very quickly.