Reprieve from the lingering fuel scarcity across the country may soon come the way of Nigerians following assurances on Monday by oil marketers to end months of scarcity of premium motor spirit (PMS).
The assurances came after a protracted meeting between federal government officials led by the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and those of the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) represented by its Executive Secretary, Mr. Obafemi Olowore.
The meeting was held to iron out grey areas between both parties, including disparities on outstanding subsidy claims, and the insistence by the marketers to be paid what is left in two weeks.
But the knotty issue of disparity over what is actually accruing to the marketers in subsidies after the last payment was played down.
Briefing journalists after the meeting in her office, Okonjo-Iweala and Olowore assured that the differences had been sorted out, but declined to state categorically what the outstanding claims accruing to the marketers are.
The minister said the marketers had already agreed that since the issue of claims is a rolling one and the government has been meeting its payment obligations as much as possible, they would henceforth ensure the supply of fuel to end the hardship Nigerians are facing across the country.
The minister said the marketers had already commenced the process of ending the fuel scarcity in motion by ensuring the supply of the product in Lagos, adding that in a few days, Abuja and other parts of the country would witness a let-off.
Corroborating the minister, the MOMAN Executive Secretary said some vessels had already berthed at two jetties in Lagos, discharging fuel, assuring that reprieve was on the way.
The minister cleared the air on what was actually paid to the marketers last week, pointing out that N154 billion was actually paid to them and not N156 billion as had been reported, adding that the error had been rectified.
(This Day)
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