Again, the Nigerian Senate has given the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) a week ultimatum to end the petrol scarcity crisis that has disrupted economic activities in the country for several weeks.

The resolution followed a briefing from the Chairman of the Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Senator Kabir Marafa of Zamfara State, who hinted his colleagues in the red chamber on the outcome of the meeting between the Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources of the Senate & the House of Representatives and the management of NNPC.

Marafa said the Joint Committee queried the NNPC on why long-winding queues resurfaced in the country after a brief break in some major cities, especially in Lagos and Abuja.

According to Marafa, “NNPC told us that the queues returned because of a supply gap, coupled with massive smuggling across the border which is quite alarming. They also complained about a lack of compliance by oil marketers to sell at the approved pump price.

Marafa added that the Joint Committee had directed NNPC to ensure adequate supply of petrol and disappearance of queues in fuel stations nationwide within seven days and equally directed security agencies to ensure border control to curb smuggling of petroleum products to our neighbouring countries.”

He said further: “We have also directed the Department of Petroleum Resources DPR to double its efforts in price control and monitoring.

The Senate President Bukola Saraki, in his reaction to the development, endorsed the line of action taken by the Joint Committee and urged them to ensure compliance from the NNPC, adding that “the issue of fuel scarcities in the country must be brought to an end.”