The Federal Government has given the assurance that there will be no fuel scarcity during the yuletide.
The assurance follows the agreement reached with oil marketers at a meeting the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed and the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, held with oil marketers.
Ahmed was represented at the meeting which held on Thursday by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance.
According to the Ministry of Finance, in a tweet, the marketers had agreed that there would be smooth operation through the yuletide.
“Minister of Finance, represented by PSF, CBN, DMO and others met and agreed with the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, Independent Petroleum Marketers, that operations at all depots and sales will continue.
“Oil marketers have all agreed that operations at all depots and sales will continue unhindered.”
The assurance was made by the government against the backdrop of the threat of a strike by oil marketers.
In a similar development, a non-governmental organisation, Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has appealed to oil marketers to prevent fuel scarcity during the yuletide.
In a press statement issued by the organisation, government and the oil marketers should iron out their difference to avoid fuel scarcity.
The statement signed by MURIC director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, reads in part: “Yuletide is a sensitive period. This is the time most Nigerians choose to travel to their cities and villages in order to cement family ties. It is not the right time to allow fuel scarcity.
“We appeal to FG to do everything within its power to ensure that oil marketers do not carry out their threat. Unlike in the past, this administration has been able to ensure smooth supply of fuel. There have been no queues in petrol stations across the country. We appreciate this feat. But we are saying it should not be allowed to happen. Fuel scarcity causes lots of inconvenience for ordinary Nigerians.”
