Fuel subsidy: Kwara Gov., AbdulRazaq warns fuel marketers against hoarding
…says govt to revoke CoO of erring filling stations
AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the Kwara State governor and the chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum on Tuesday, warned oil marketers in the state to avoid imposing needless hardship on the citizens by creating artificial fuel scarcity in the state and beyond.
AbdulRazaq, in a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye cautioned all petroleum stations in Kwara State and its environ not to inflict more hardship on the masses by hoarding fuel, saying the task force set up will begin to visit filling stations in Ilorin metropolis and sanction all erring filling stations caught in the act.
The statement reads, “The Governor is seriously concerned about reports of sudden fuel scarcity in different parts of the state. This is totally uncalled for. He asks fuel marketers to immediately discharge fuel to the public under the normal pricing system since they had bought what they currently have at subsidised rates,” according to a Government House statement on Tuesday morning.
“Creating artificial scarcity amounts to intentional misrepresentation of the statement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, on the question of fuel subsidy. The people should not be made to undergo any hardship.
“The Governor urges the marketers to desist from anything that qualifies as economic sabotage of the people. Hoarding fuel bought at subsidised price and creating panic in the state is opportunistic and will not be condoned. His Excellency the Deputy Governor Mr. Kayode Alabi will be leading a task force to ensure that no fuel marketer causes undue hardship to the citizens in Kwara State.
“Fuel stations are to note that the Task Force will dip into their pits. Any filling stations found to be hoarding fuel will have their Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) revoked, among other penalties.”
The Informant247 had reported that following the inaugural speech by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to remove the controversial fuel subsidy, long queues have resurfaced in Ilorin metropolis.
It was gathered that some of the filling stations in Ilorin have been closed while those selling have jerked up their price.
President Tinubu during his inaugural speech after being sworn in as the 16th Nigerian President, said the subsidy era is gone and that his team will disclose the key aspect of the economic policy for his administration.
His words: “We commend the decision of the outgoing administration in phasing out the petrol subsidy regime which has increasingly favoured the rich more than the poor. Subsidy can no longer justify its ever-increasing costs in the wake of drying resources.
“We shall instead re-channel the funds into better investment in public infrastructure, education, health care and jobs that will materially improve the lives of millions.”
