Buhari sets up committee to address petrol scarcity

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the establishment of a 14-man steering committee to address the problem in the supply and distribution of petroleum products in the country.

The Steering Committee on Petroleum Products Supply and Distribution Management is headed by the president with the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, as the alternative chairman.

Sylva, who confirmed the development in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Horatius Egua, listed the other members of the committee as the Comptroller-General of Nigerian Customs Service, Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Commandant-General of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The rests are the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, the Special Advisor (Special Duties) to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Technical Advisor (Midstream) to the Minister who will serve as Secretary.

He said the committee would ensure transparent and efficient supply and distribution of petroleum products across the country.

READ ALSO: Petroleum minister, Sylva, says fuel at N300 per litre not too much for Nigerians

The minister directed the NDMDRA to ensure strict compliance with the government-approved ex-depot and retail prices for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol.

He also charged the agency to ensure that NNPC Limited meets the domestic supply obligation of PMS and other petroleum products in the country.

“The Federal Government will not allow misguided elements to bring untold hardship upon the citizenry and attempt to discredit government’s efforts in consolidating the gains made thus far in the oil and gas sector of the economy,” Sylva stated.

Fuel queues surfaced in filling stations across the country towards the end of last year due to scarcity of the products.

The development forced fuel marketers to sell the products above the approved pump price in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and other parts of the country.

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