The Federal Government has identified with Nigerians over unpredicted hardship induced by scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and called for patience in finding lasting solutions to the problem.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, while making the appeal on Sunday in a statement by his Senior Adviser (Media & Communications), Horatius Egua, assured Nigerians that its agencies are on the field and visiting fuel stations to ensure that fuel is available for sale.
According to him, “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.
He also urged Nigerians to be patient in finding lasting solutions to the crisis as the fuel crisis is not a time to trade blames or query anyone but a time to come together to salvage the plight of the average Nigerian.
“Let me once again appeal to Nigerians to be patient with government in finding lasting solutions to the crisis,” Sylva said.
The Minister while appreciating NNPC for showing so much concern to the plight of Nigerians by coming forward with an apology, also said the Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority had been out on the streets and fuel stations to ensure that the situation normalize quickly.
“It is not a time to trade blames as is customary in Nigeria. It is, therefore, not a time to query anyone but a time to come together to salvage the plight of the average Nigerian.
“After the storm settles, there will be time enough to investigate and get to the bottom, so that this does not repeat itself.
“President Muhammadu Buhari’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 the government is determined to set the country on the right path of petroleum products availability and sustainability,” Sylva said.
