Edo State Government disclosed on Tuesday that the state has received 784,000 litres of fuel, which will be adequately monitored to ensure that the product is not diverted or sold at exorbitant prices to citizens.
The Government said it was stepping up efforts to find lasting solutions to distribution hurdles and price hikes of petroleum products in the state.
Ethan Uzamere, the State Commissioner for Mining and Energy, who made this known, while briefing journalists in Benin City today, said the government was setting up a committee to address petroleum product scarcity and price hikes in the state.
According to him, “We have received 784,000 litres of PMS in Edo State and we will continue to inform Edo people and citizens how much we receive daily as the task force to be inaugurated will work with other stakeholders to let the people know the filling stations that received products and how much each receives.
“The government has heard the cry of the people and is taking steps to ensure the availability of PMS. A task-force will be set up to ensure more PMS and safety of the filling stations.”
The Commissioner reassured that before the end of Tuesday 31st of January 2023, the names of members of the task force on monitoring of PMS will be made known to the people of the State.
On his part, Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media Projects, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said the members of the committee will be made up of the private sector, civil society groups, government representatives, media and marketers, who will go around the State to monitor product pricing and distribution, and checkmate the powers of distributors and marketers.
He said, “The Government is committed to this exercise and it will leave no stone unturned to ensure the welfare and well-being of the people. We are warning people who jack up and hike their prices to desist forthwith as the Committee will identify such persons and the government will ensure their prosecution. Edo people are the number one priority of the present administration.”
It would be recalled that citizens took to the streets in Edo on Monday protesting skyrocketed petrol (gas) price, with its attendant excruciating effects on the masses.
Following the successful peaceful protest, the organizers who gave a 24-hour ultimatum to Edo State Government to address the issue of fuel scarcity suspended the exercise.
The following is full text of the statement signed by leaders of the various organizations that made up the coalition, including the President of the Talakawa Parliament, Comrade Kola Edokpayi:
This is to formally inform the General Public that the Coalition of Organized Civil Society Organisations, NANS, Benin Coalition that organized the peaceful protest today the 30th day of January 2023 has suspended the protest tentatively in line with the 24 hours ultimatum given to Edo State Government to address the menace of fuel scarcity in Edo State that is biting hard on the masses.
If Edo State Government refuses to meet the demands of the people by addressing the issues raised in the communique transmitted to him, we shall officially announce our next line of action on Wednesday, the 1st day of February 2023 after the stakeholders meeting slated for same date.
Meanwhile, we want to call on the good people of Edo State to go about their normal and lawful businesses tomorrow.
Following the protests, Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, disclosed plans to set up a committee to monitor the distribution and pricing of the product to ensure that shylock marketers do not take advantage of the situation to rip Edo citizens off.
In a statement on Monday, Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie said the governor will, in the next 24 hours, also schedule a meeting with all stakeholders in the product distribution value chain to deliberate on the issues responsible for the distribution hurdles and price hike and find lasting solutions to the matter.
The statement reads: “The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has studied the grievances expressed by protesters as stated in the letter addressed to him on the issue.
“The government acknowledges the plight of the Edo people who have had to endure gruelling experiences accessing petroleum products as well as the exorbitant prices the product is sold for in the State in the last few days.
“On account of that, the government is undertaking the following actions within the next 24 hours: set up a Monitoring Committee made up of actors in the private sector, civil society organisations and government, who will monitor the distribution and pricing of the product in order to ensure that shylock marketers do not take advantage of the situation to rip Edo citizens off.
Government will “schedule a meeting with all stakeholders in the product distribution value chain to deliberate on the issues responsible for distribution hurdles and price hike and find lasting solutions to the matters arising.”
Osagie added, “The government thanks all Edo people for being law-abiding and also appreciates the protesters for being peaceful even as we work with all concerned to ease the situation and build a progressive State together.”
