Nigerian Lawmakers Call For Removal Of Fuel Subsidy

Members of Nigeria’s House of Representatives are pushing for the removal of fuel subsidy in order to put an end to persistent fuel scarcity in the country. But they insist that the authorities must put in place adequate infrastructure to cushion the effect of the subsidy withdrawal.
National Assembly correspondent, Joke Adisa reports that for the past few months, Nigerians have had to pass through travails in order to get fuel, facing long queues at filling stations and most often having to buy the commodity at prices, ranging from one hundred to one hundred and forty naira per litre. Our correspondent also reports that when the commodity is in very short supply, buying from fuel vendors, otherwise known as ‘black market’ becomes the only alternative with the vendors selling ten litres of the product between two thousand and three thousand naira. In Abuja and some other parts of the country, the fuel situation oftem normalises only for fuel queues to reappear at filling stations after a short respite many concerned Nigerians want the government to find a lasting solution. It is a challenge Lawmakers seem ready to take on and some members of Nigeria’s House of Representatives believe the solution lies in government withdrawing subsidy on the commodity The lawmakers are charging the President Muhamamdu Buhari-led administration to device ways of cushioning the effects of the eventual removal while also diversifying the nation’s economy. They are hopeful that the planned kick off of some refineries across the country will cushion the effect of on-going fuel scarcity in the country. The legislators are also upbeat about the much talked about Petroleum Industry Bill and are calling on the government to forward it to the National Assembly for prompt consideration and passage.