The Federal Government has admitted that the fuel scarcity was not because of the absence of supply of products but due to inspection failure, which allowed adulterated products into the country.
In a statement by the Senior Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Horatius Egua, the Federal Government noted that such action is regrettable.
“The Federal Government sympathizes with the citizenry over the unforeseen hardship, occasioned by the inevitable scarcity. Let me once again appeal to Nigerians to be patient with the government in finding lasting solutions to the crisis.
“We appreciate the NNPC for showing so much concern to the plight of Nigerians by coming forward with an apology. This is unprecedented and shows that we on the government side are not afraid to take responsibility”, he said.
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Egua noted that the Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority has been out on the streets; filling station by filling station to ensure that the situation normalizes quickly.
“This is a time that calls for collective action to save a situation that was not foreseen. 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.
“Mr. President’s charge to all parties and agencies concerned is to work together to ensure that normalcy returns quickly’, the statement added.
He said that Nigerians deserve the best and President Muhammadu Buhari’s government is determined to set the country on the right path of petroleum products availability and sustainability as demonstrated in the award of the contracts for the rehabilitation of all our refineries and the acquisition of a stake in the Dangote Refinery.
“Let us as Nigerians stand shoulder to shoulder in our shared quest for a greater country,” he noted.
