Senate Begins Probe Of Fuel Scarcity

AS fuel scarcity continues nationwide, the Senate
Thursday directed its committees on Petroleum
Resources ( Upstream and Downstream ) to
immediately commence investigation into the
remote and immediate causes of the fuel crisis in
the country.
The Senate Order was sequel to the motion by
the Deputy Senate Majority Leader, Senator Abdul
Ningi, who had called on the lawmakers to pay
serious attention to the fuel crisis that had created
great hardship for Nigerians at the moment.
Senator Ningi wondered why a country that has
abundant oil resources should face the kind of
biting scarcity that had increased the suffering of
Nigerians.
But the Deputy Senate President, Ike
Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary,
noted that since the Deputy Senate Leader raised
the motion under personal explanation, the senate
would not debate it but would rather approved
his prayers.
Senator Ekweremadu said, ” Ningi’s prayers are
simple and straightforward. He is asking us, as
representatives of the people, to direct our
committees on upstream and downstream, to
find out what is currently going on the oil sector
and possibly find a way of addressing it.
“In that regard, we now ask our committees on
Petroleum Resources ( Upstream and
Downstream), to find out what is going on and
what the government is doing about it and report
back on Tuesday last week. That is our wish”
The Senate Deputy leader had while moving his
motion, said since the Senate still has the
mandate of the people until June 1, it had the
responsibility to intervene in the unfortunate
development.
According to him, “We need to know whether
fuel scarcity has come to stay. We need to know
whether it has become part of our life. We need
to plan.
“By planning and talking about it we our now
sensitising Nigerians to brace up for the
impending issue of fuel scarcity whether it is
going to be here permanently or temporary.
“But we can’t know all these things until we hear
from the experts. Therefore my prayer is to ask
the committee on downstream and upstream to
come up with explanations next Tuesday through
which Nigerians will know and plan their future.
“Otherwise, I think its legally and morally wrong
to keep silent about it, sweep it under the carpet
and to continue to believe these things are usual.”