Barring last minute changes, officials of the Federal Government will today (Friday) meet with marketers of petroleum products in Abuja.
It was gathered that the participants at the meeting, which is scheduled to hold at the conference room of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, would discuss issues surrounding the scarcity of petroleum products across the country that had dragged on for months.
Sources at the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources told our correspondent on Thursday that the petrol scarcity was becoming worrisome to the new government of President Muhammadu Buhari.
An official at the ministry, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “It is true that the scarcity started before this administration came on board, but it has come to realise that Nigerians are becoming fed up with the situation and very soon will start pointing accusing fingers at the Buhari government.
“The meeting with the oil marketers is to discuss issues pertaining to the scarcity and why it has dragged on for this long. The government is not happy about it and we hope the issue will be adequately addressed during the meeting.”
A letter signed by the Director of Information in the ministry, Mr. Kingsley Agha, stated that the meeting was between the “Ministry of Petroleum Resources and oil marketers to address the current fuel scarcity.”
Meanwhile, the scarcity of fuel in Abuja continued on Thursday as hundreds of motorists were seen in long queues in front of the few filling stations that dispensed the product.
Our correspondent observed that the product was sold at rates far higher than the regulated price of N87 per litre.
Petrol was being sold for between N120 and N140 per litre at the stations belonging to independent marketers in the Federal Capital Territory.(Punch)
