The Joint Senate Committee on Petroleum
Resources (Upstream and Downstream) yesterday summoned Coordinating Minister
for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and her
counterpart in the Petroleum Resources Ministry, Mrs. Deziani Alison-Madueke,
to appear before it on May 25 over the lingering fuel crisis in the country.
Also summoned along with the two ministers are the Group Managing Director of
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Managing Director Petroleum
Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and the Director of the Department
of Petroleum Resources (DPR). Others who are also summoned to appear before the
lawmakers include representatives of the Major Oil Marketers Association of
Nigeria; Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria and National
Association of Road Transport Owners.
The invitation, which
was issued in Abuja by the Chairmen of the two committees, Senators Emmanuel
Paulker (Upstream) and Magnus Abe (Downstream), explained that the summon of
the public officers and groups, was as a result of the assignment given to them
by the Senate on Thursday.
The statement further
explained that the Deputy Senate Majority Leader, Senator Abdul Ningi, had on
Thursday drew the attention of the Senate to the lingering fuel scarcity in the
country and the untold hardship on the citizens of Nigerians. It added that
Ningi had also urged the Senate to look into the matter with a view to finding
the causes and lasting solution to the problem. Meanwhile, the Petroleum and
Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has warned against
abrupt removal of fuel subsidy.
In an open letter addressed to the President-Elect,
Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, the association lamented that the importation of
refined petroleum products was resulting in major leakages of revenue to the
nation and creating jobs for the exporting nations in the face of unemployment
challenges in Nigeria.
The letter titled:
“PENGASSAN’s View on The Roadmap to Revamp the Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry,”
and signed by the President and General Secretary of the association, Francis Johnson
and Bayo Olowoshile, respectively, observed that the continued importation of
refined petroleum products was putting the naira under undue pressure and
creating social problems for the economy.
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