The Minister of Finance/coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and her counterpart in the Petroleum Resources Ministry, Mrs. Deziani Allison-Madueke were on Friday directed by the Joint Senate Committees on Petroleum Resources, Upstream and Downstream, to appear before it on Monday next week to explain the incessant fuel scarcity in being experienced at the moment.
The committee also ordered the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation; Managing Director, Petroleum Pricing and Regulatory Agency; and the Director of the Department of Petroleum Resources to appear before it.
Also expected to appear before the committee on Monday by 10.am at the National Assembly Complex are; Representatives of the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria; Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria and the National Association of Road Transport Owners.
According to a statement issued by the Chairmen of the two committees, Senators Emmanuel Paulker, Upstream, and Magnus Abe, Downstream in Abuja, the invitation extended to both ministers was as a result of the responsibility saddled on the committee by the senate.
The statement noted that the Deputy Senate Majority Leader, Senator Abdul Ningi, had on Thursday told the Senate to look into the continuous fuel scarcity in the country with the view of finding a lasting solution to the menace.
In view of the development, the Senate directed the committees on Downstream Petroleum sector and Petroleum Resources, Upstream, to look into the case and brief them next Tuesday on their findings.
The Joint Committee further stressed that it is inviting the ministers, agencies and groups because it needed to get information that would be used to write their report.
