Unic Press UK: The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at plenary on Tuesday rejected the report that was presented by its Committee on Petroleum (Downstream). The committee is mandated to investigate/determine the root causes of the incessant scarcity of fuel (also known as Premium Motor Spirit) in Nigeria, among other things.
The Senate President insisted that any report from the Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) should address the key issues, including the root causes of fuel scarcity and the existence or otherwise of subsidy payment from the current government.
The committee is expected to establish the country’s daily consumption of fuel, unraveling why the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) reported 40 million litres of daily import, whereas the official position of the Nigerian government is that the current daily consumption is 30 million litres. In a news report ‘Kachikwu Reels out Recipé for Sustained Petroleum Products Supply’ on its website of 4th January 2018, the NNPC said:
“the prevailing NNPC one-Cargo-per day fuel import arrangement designed to guarantee the daily discharge of over 40 million litres of petrol.”
NNPC one-Cargo-per day fuel import arrangement designed to guarantee the daily discharge of over 40 million litres of petrol.
Senator Kabir Marafa [representing Zamfara Central Senatorial District] who is the chair of the committee on downstream petroleum was told by several of his colleagues at the Senate’s plenary that the report of the committee was bereft of the basic requirements.
#SenateFuelScarcityReport
“Fuel scarcity has become a reoccurring dilemma, I suggest we set aside this report and properly debate on it. It’s unfair and a bad report”.- Senator Stella Oduah.— The Nigerian Senate (@NGRSenate) January 17, 2018
#SenateFuelScarcityReport
"I sincerely commend SP @bukolasaraki’s efforts on the fuel scarcity situation. The Chairman of the Committee on Petroleum Downstream should withdraw his report, as it doesn't meet the requirements."- Senator Godswill Akpabio.— The Nigerian Senate (@NGRSenate) January 17, 2018
The Senate also directed its Public Accounts Committee to investigate the issue of unauthorized spending of public funds by Ministries and Departments and Agencies (MDA) in the petroleum sector.