By John Ofikhenua and Frank Ikpefan, Abuja
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, yesterday blamed the toxic petrol that has caused product scarcity on inspection failure.
He described the situation as regrettable.
Sylva, in a statement by his media aide Horatious Egwa, urged Nigerians to be patient as the Federal Government finds a lasting solution to the problem.
He said: “In the last weeks, Nigerians have grappled with fuel scarcity, not because of the absence of supply of products but due to inspection failure, which allowed adulterated products into the country.
“This is regrettable, and the Federal Government sympathises with the citizenry over the unforeseen hardship, occasioned by the inevitable scarcity.
“Let me once again appeal to Nigerians to be patient with the government in finding lasting solutions to the crisis.”
He believes the apology by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited “is unprecedented and shows that we on the government side are not afraid to take responsibility.”
Many Nigerians had expected the negligent officials to have been suspended or sanctioned by now.
Some believe if something similar had happened in other climes, culpable officials would have resigned or been queried for their inefficiency.
So far, there is no indication that anyone has been held responsible, and Sylva, who has also been criticised over the situation, said: “It is, therefore, not a time to query anyone but a time to come together to salvage the plight of the average Nigerian.
“Mr. President’s charge to all parties and agencies concerned is to work together to ensure that normalcy returns quickly.
“The Nigerian people deserve the best and President Muhammadu Buhari’s government is determined to set the country on the right path of petroleum products availability and sustainability, as demonstrated in the award of the contracts for the rehabilitation of all our refineries and the acquisition of a stake in the Dangote Refinery.”
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) said it may soon direct workers in statutory corporations and government-owned companies to stop going to work if the fuel scarcity persists.
The Congress urged President Buhari to identify and punish those who caused the scarcity that has brought untold hardship upon Nigerians and reportedly damaged many vehicles.
National Treasurer of TUC, Mohammad Yunusa, spoke on the sidelines of the delegate conference of the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC) in Abuja at the weekend.
The immediate past President-General of SSASCGOC said members of his association had been directed to stay at their homes pending when the situation improves.
He said: ‘’The union’s position is very clear. Those who caused this scarcity should be identified and punished very well.
“The position of SSASCGOC also is that, you know we are affiliated to TUC, and we have made it known to TUC that let the workers stop going to work until there is enough fuel to take them to work. ‘This is the way to do it.
“We are waiting for our centre to respond to our position but our position in SSASCGOC is that there is no need to go to work. Hang around in your house.
“When the fuel, the one they are saying billion of litres of petrol is coming, when it comes, and there is regular supply, then we will start going to work.’’