Lawmakers in the House of Representatives yesterday refused to pass a motion asking the incoming administration of Muhammadu Buhari to end the regime of subsidy payments on fuel.
The motion said it was embarrassing for Nigeria as one of the six largest oil producing nations in the world to continue to grapple with acute fuel supply, despite the long period of fuel subsidy payments by governments.
Sponsor of the motion, Rep Sunday Karimi (PDP, Kogi) said even discussions between the petroleum, and finance ministries with the major stakeholders on the fuel scarcity had ended without required results.
“This non availability has resulted to long queues on the few filling stations that sell the products. All categories of travelers including land and air suffer either cancellation of flights for lack of aviation fuel or for lack of petrol for road users.
“Prices of the products have skyrocketed. A litre of PMS currently sells between N120 to N250, depending on where it is available as against the official price of N87,” said the motion’s sponsor.
Contributing to the debate, Rep Leo Ogor said ending the subsidy regime by the new government would be the best thing for the country, especially as the subsidy only benefits few individuals.
In view of these therefore, sponsor of the motion asked the House to call on the incoming administration to summon the necessary will and courage to end the subsidy regime.
He also wanted the House to invite major marketers, independent marketers and the petroleum products marketing company to explain the genesis of the uproar in the oil sector.
But Rep Ossai Ossai (PDP, Delta) opposed the thrust of the motion, saying that “As of yesterday, the matter has been resolved at the end of a meeting with minister. The House is spending its resources, its energy in vain and we are not here to waste our energy. The National Assembly should channeled its energy on issues not on what the facts are already available.”
After rounds of debates that divide the lawmakers on the motion’s worthiness and otherwise, the overwhelming votes of the House opposed its passage, when the question was put by the presiding deputy speaker, Emeka Ihedioha.
