End fuel scarcity by weekend, FG orders

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday ordered both the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu and the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC), Maikanti Baru  to end fuel scarcity by this weekend.

Briefing State House corespondents after the council meeting on Wednesday, Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, who disclosed the marching orders, assured that government has no intention to increase fuel pump  price.

Mohammed  blamed the current winter for the fuel scarcity  as he explained that there was more  demand for petroleum during winter.

He said: “The Minister of Petroleum was supposed to join us but he has to attend a very important meeting so that this crisis would be resolved.

“No. The government has no intention at all that to increase the pump price of PMS.

“Two, the minister assured the council that we have enough products till the next one month even till the end of January.

“Thirdly, this is winter period. There is always more demand for refined products for petroleum during winter period in the colder countries. This is what we are experiencing now.

“Also that it has been the NNPC that has been importing but he has assured. The council gave him a matching order that this fuel scarcity should not last beyond this weekend and they are going to work very hard to ensure that it is curtailed. He assured council that there is actually no cause for alarm.”

The nation has witnessed a return of fuel queues in the last few days

despite assurances from the NNPC that it had enough fuel to last the yuletide period.