Joseph Akinlaja, Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), on Monday urged Federal Government to honour its agreement of paying oil marketers N236 billion by Friday, 14th December, 2018 in the bid to avert another industrial crisis.
Akinlaja who gave the charge during a chat with Legislative Correspondents in Abuja, observed that failure to honour the agreement may lead to disruption in the distribution chain of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
Akinlaja also appeal to the oil marketers, especially the Depot and Petroleum Product Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) to accept government offer of installment payment while pursuing the payment of the rest.
“We did not stop there, we need to ensure that the entire chain is not in danger of being disrupted because we are not comfortable with the experience we had around this same time last year. We don’t want a repeat of that.
“We checked, and labour confirmed available supply by NNPC but distribution is another thing and we were worried as government is owing marketers despite discussions being on for three years now.
“The concern of our Committee is that the Federal Government and all the stakeholders should not allow the distribution chain to snap but our worry is that it’s a tradition for our government not to keep to agreements.
“That is why we are pleading that the government should not renege this time, if the agreement is not honored by Friday, there is a likelihood of a problem,” the Ondo lawmaker noted.
The lawmaker who expressed concern over the plight of the oil markers considering the difficulties they have been going through from banks they owed, however urged them to give the government the benefit of the doubt by accepting the scheduled payment of the claims.
“We are appealing to the marketers to give the government a chance and accept the offer.
“All the stakeholders, especially DAPPMAN, should allow the agreement to go through while they pursue the payment of the rest as agreed. A bird in hand, as they say is worth two in the bush,” Adelaja said
