Federal government has proposed a meeting with the independent oil marketers in a bid to curb fuel crisis this festive period.
Due to continuous unpaid oil subsidies, the oil marketers had threatened to shut down their depots but the presidency and the National Assembly in a quick response have appealed to the marketers for more time to settle the issue of the non-payment of oil subsidies within the next few days.
Senator Kabiru Marafa stated that he and the president have looked into the situation and something significant will be done quickly to resolve the situation.
This disclosure was made by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Senator Kabiru Marafa after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in the Presidential Villa.
According to Marafa, the non-payment of the subsidies, innate by the current government, was as a result of technicalities facing forex differentials and attendant interest.
Marafa added that bureaucracy revolving the computation of figures had attributed to the matter and the oil marketers are unhappy about the Ministry of Finance handling of the matter.
“That is what I said, so we are now talking of technicalities, there is fuel in the country, in our seas, in our depots all across the country. But there are some technicalities now regarding payment of subsidies, forex differentials and interest, which this government inherited.
“They are not a creation of this government. However,government is a continuum and when the president came in, he was confronted with it and he agreed and said, ‘fine, I have stopped subsidy but since there are claims, we will look into it and pay.’
“But now, the bureaucratic nature of the computations is what dragged up to this time and depot owners are not too happy with what the Ministry of Finance has done and maybe some other agencies.
“So, we have been on it in the Senate and the House of Representatives for almost two weeks now. Finally, today, I have had quality time with the president and we have looked into the whole thing.
“By next week, we will invite all the stakeholders. I believe we should be able to get to the root of the matter. “As for the depot owners, we are going to plead with them again to give more time, especially now that we have discussed with the head of the executive arm of government.
“So, I’m sure everything will be resolved in the next few days,” he added.
