The fuel crisis took a dramatic turn for the worse,
yesterday, as massive queues were seen in almost all the petrol stations
selling the products in Abuja.
Also, some oil marketers, who spoke to Vanguard, blamed the
prolonged scarcity on the insincerity of
the Federal Government and called on Nigerians to expect a further worsening of
the situation in the days ahead.
This was after a slight improvement was recorded few days
after the Senate approved the supplementary budget which was to be used mainly
for payments of subsidy claims to oil marketers.
Specifically, over the weekend, light queues were recorded
in some petrol stations in Abuja, while most of the petrol station did not
record any queue. But the situation worsened, yesterday, as the queues returned
with only a few petrol stations in town selling the product
Some marketers who spoke to Vanguard blamed the renewed intensity of the crisis on
the fact that they are yet to receive payments for their subsidy claims, a
situation that had made it difficult for them to purchase the product.
Specifically, one of the marketers, who spoke on the
condition of anonymity, wondered what is delaying the payment of the claims,
while he accused the Federal Government of not showing concern for the plight
of Nigerians.
The marketer disclosed that Nigerians should expect tougher
days ahead, stating that if the subsidy claims are eventually paid, it would
take days for oil marketers to access the funds, place order for the products,
get the consignment and start distributing the products to all the nooks and
crannies of the country.
He said: “Nigerians should hold the Federal Government
responsible for the sufferings they are currently passing through. This
government was aware of outstanding subsidy claims from their first day in
office, but they had to wait for six months, until Nigerians could no longer
bear the suffering in silence, before they took any action.
Senate to engage CBN to fast track FOREX for oil
However, the Senate
Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) said it will engage the Central Bank of
Nigeria, CBN, to fast track the availability of foreign exchange to enable
marketers import petroleum products, so as to ease off the continuing scarcity.
The Committee Chairman, Uche Ekwunife, stated this during
the committee’s visit to depots in Apapa, Lagos. Her pronouncement came as
marketers said that bad roads and infrastructural decay have continued to
hamper their movement from the depots to different parts of the country.
“We will make sure the relevant agencies do the needful to
enable marketers get the issuance on time so as make logistic arrangement for
importation of the products. As for foreign exchange, we have to engage the
Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to fast track the availability of foreign
exchange. The CBN should us why the marketers will not have access to import
the product as at when due,” she said.
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