Possible Petrol Scarcity: FG raises alarm

The Federal Government has expressed worries about the possibility of a scarcity of petrol in the country.

The Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr Timipre Sylva, raised the concern on Monday at a late-night meeting between the government and leaders of the organised labour.

The meeting was a continuation of the series of dialogues between both parties in a bid to persuade the labour unions not to go on strike over the increase in the price of petrol and electricity tariff.

At the resumed sitting, the Technical Committee on petrol presented its report while the Committee on Electricity Tariff said its work was ongoing.

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Presenting the report, Chairman of the Technical Committee on Petrol, Onochie Anyaoku, highlighted the areas where the government should work on to reduce the price of petrol.

Subsequently, the meeting then entered into a closed-door session to consider the report presented by Mr Anyaoku while the labour leaders requested 21 days to study the report.

After about three hours later, Mr Sylva and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Nigige, who was also at the meeting briefed reporters on the government’s decision on the report presented.

Mr Sylva warned that another three weeks to study the report could have an effect on the availability of petroleum products in the market.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, as well as the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari, also attended the meeting.

The labour leaders were led by President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, and President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Quadri Olaleye.