The upper chamber of the National Assembly, today, during its plenary session, has resolved to take drastic steps over the issue of fuel scarcity and removal of oil subsidy in Nigeria.

This was sequel to the motion raised by Senator Barau Jibrin of Kano North on the issue of fuel scarcity faced by Nigerians.

Barau noted that the issue is creating a serious hardship on Nigerians who now have to pay higher prices for petroleum products.

He further noted that the current situation is not in tune with the desire of the current progressively inclined government, to bring succour to Nigerians in all sectors of the economy.

Barau however urged the Nigerian National Petroleum Commission (NNPC) and other stakeholders to continue with the ongoing push to stem the tide of present scarcity of petroleum products. He said: “the legislative and executive arms of government must continue their collaboration to find a lasting solution to the recurring problem of this fuel scarcity.”

Commenting on the motion, Senator Gbenga Ashafa noted that “no part of the country is free from this hardship. Up to this morning, we can still see the long queue in Lagos and many other parts of our country.”

He appealed to the Senate that the supplementary budget should be given approval on this note. He said: “let us give approval to the supplementary budget and not limit it to a partisan politics. We must endeavour to support and assist the President in the drive to hit the ground running. It must be raised as a matter of priority.”

Senator Sani Shehu, in his brief comment, said Nigeria, as an oil producing country, should find a way out to find a permanent solution to this problem.

In his words: “let us ask ourselves why this problem has been persistent in this nation. Government of the past tried to remove subsidy but people like us stood against it and it did not hold. Truth is, we cannot make any meaningful decision out of this debate unless we summon the minister in charge to explain to us what is happening. This motion does not need much debate.”

PDP Senator Abaribe of the Abia South, while contributing to the debate, noted that the APC party, with the ongoing developments in the country has nothing to offer Nigerians.

He said: “This is a party that came to power, promising that it would change everything, but nothing is changing. The party promised there would be no queue but we are now seeing long queue. Change has come but there is no change yet. Things are still the same and there is no hope in sight.”

Abaribe therefore added: “For this reason we are asking ‘where is the change?’ In this chamber, if we continue to debate this issue, there might not be change. What I think we have to do is, summon the Petroleum Minister, ‘I mean the senior minister,’ to confront us and shed light on this issue.”

•Photo shows the Senate in session.

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