The major players in the oil industry yesterday, attributed the fuel scarcity in different parts of the country to the increase in crude oil price at the international market and the removal of subsidy.
This came as the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu has said that no single marketer has been identified as being behind the fuel scarcity that has brought untold hardship to Nigerians during the Yuletide Meanwhile, a source at the meeting told newsmen that the issue of subsidy removal was not discussed at yesterday’s meeting, as a sub-committee set up at the meeting was directed to find an immediate solution to the fuel crisis, while the committee is to meet today.
A source at the meeting hinted newsmen that President Muhammadu Buhari had ruled out any fuel price increment and payment of subsidy to marketers. The sources added that local refining dominated yesterday meeting, while marketers it was learned asked for the payment of the outstanding N800billion debt, owed them by the Federal Government.
Briefing State House correspondents after a meeting between the oil stakeholders and government representatives on the instance of the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, Chairman of Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, DAPPMA, Dapo Abiodun explained that marketers were finding it difficult to import the petroleum products because of the increase in the price of crude.
He said: “Today’s meeting was called at the instance of the Chief of Staff to the President and it was to find out exactly what happened, where we had the problems we had in December with the supply of petrol and how Nigerians were made to go through the pains and suffering.