Minister of state for petroleum resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu apologised to Nigerians over the never ending scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit also known as fuel or petrol.
Mr Kachikwu assured Nigerians the scarcity of the Premium Motor Spirit would end in the second week of April. The minister made the pledge while answering questions asked by members of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) at the National Assembly where he was summoned to address the hardship and scarcity of petroleum commodity.
“We are working hard and we will end the fuel queues by first week or second week of April,” Kachikwu said to the Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) at the National Assembly
“Escravos to Warri pipeline was just recovered to be able to pump crude after six years and 90 per cent of fuel depots have not been in use for several years, so we are trying to fix the depots.
“We have expanded the logistics requirement which has been a nightmare to NNPC. NNPC over-extended itself from what it was set up to do, to new duties”.
Mr Kachikwu told the Senate that the NNPC was working out a plan to supply 47 per cent of petroleum products to the market, while independent marketers will supply the remaining 53 per cent of the products until 2019/2020.
He also apologized to Nigerians at the National Assembly for his previous comments on scarcity, where he was reported to have said he did not possess the magic to end fuel queues.
Mr Kachikwu further said “I share the pain of Nigerians. I feel that pain every day and I have given 24/7 attention to the industry. The problems I met are unbelievable, to use a nice word. I said that jocularly with my journalist friends. The phraseology that I used in responding to the problem may be acceptable to the industry that I play in, but may offend the sensibilities of some people and for which I now apologized”.
Mr Kachikwu said he came into office about five months ago and met about N600billion as outstanding amount to be paid for subsidies to petroleum products marketers. He attributes the crisis in the petroleum sector and fuel scarcity crisis to the avalanche of problems he inherited from his predecessors.
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