Fuel crisis :PMB need be assertive – Lagos Assembly

By Lanre Adesanya

The attendant untold hardship, fuel scarcity is heaping on the entire nation,has made the Lagos State House of Assembly to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently proffer respite.

The resolve of the house was necessitated by a motion raised by the Majority Leader of Hon. Sanai Agunbiade and seconded by Hon. Segun Olulade, the Chairman, House Committee on Health under the matter of public urgent importance.

The state legislature urge the President to direct all the necessary Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs),directly connected with the distribution of fuel to wade into the situation and engender the needed succour for the suffering masses.

The Assembly added that the President should identify those that were responsible for the scarcity and punish those found culpable.

The legislators added that a special preference should given to Lagos State as the economic hub of the nation, consequent upon which many workers now pass the night at filling stations.

The House also called on Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode  to direct the necessary agencies in the state to effectively control gridlock occasioned by scarcity.

According to them, indiscriminate queuing at filling stations has affected traffic flow and many people now get to their offices late.

In his explanations, Agunbiade said, ” A lot of workers are now lamenting over gridlock. In Lagos every minute counts. Many workers now get queries for coming late to work. People now store petrol at homes.

“Prices of goods and commodities are high and fares increased. Lagosians are constrained to go about with their work, the President should address the issue of fuel scarcity and deal with everyone involved.”

Olulade said, ” a lot of people are facing serious hardship, we have hospitals that cannot provide electricity in case of emergency because of scarcity. The President should address the issue quickly.”

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Hon. Tunde Braimoh, the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Strategy and Security described the situation as an ‘ embarrassment’ adding that the President had all it takes to salvage the situation.

In his words,Hon.Moshood Oshun, the Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts (State)maintained that, “the circumstance has affected the economic activities and the Federal Government needed to be in charge”.

Hon. Yinka Ogundimu, the Chairman, All agencies in Lagos are over stressed, lots of time now wasted queuing for fuel, we should call on the President to come up with immediate solution.”

In his ruling, the Speaker of the House, Rt.Hon. Mudashiru Obasa said,” it is not necessary to start apportioning blames or identifying scapegoats, Federal Government should find a lasting solution to the problem.

“I saw people carrying kegs all over the city and I understand that some of them sleep at filling stations. This could lead to another danger because what happened in North Africa then, started like this.

“The roads from my house were deserted as I was coming to the office, and this is a bad signal.

“Mr President should look for a solution, we should not look at the past or blame the Petroleum Minister for what he said recently since he has apologised. We must take action now.

“Whatever it is, our people should get fuel to move around for their businesses. We must avoid whatever that can lead to angry mobs. It is becoming so unbearable and it must not be allowed.”

The Speaker directed the Clerk of the House, Mr Ganiu Abiru to write a letter to the President to find a lasting solution to the problem and make fuel available in Lagos State.

The House said that the President should address the people on the situation and appealed to residents to be calm until a solution was found to the problem.