TheCable

Timipre Sylva, minister of state for petroleum resources, says the federal government is working to holistically address the problem of petrol supply and distribution across the country.

In a statement on Tuesday by Horatius Egua, his spokesperson, Sylva said the current queues at filling stations did not start with the President Muhammadu Buhari administration but are linked to years of “rot” in previous governments.

He also warned of dire consequences for individuals or groups who attempt to exploit Nigerians by disrupting petrol supply and distribution.

“The problems associated with fuel queues in the country is not a problem that came with Buhari’s government but a fallout of long years of rot and decadence in products supply and distribution chain by successive governments,” NAN quoted him as saying.

“Buhari’s administration is addressing the problem holistically. This is the first time in so many years that a government is addressing the problems associated with fuel supply and distribution collectively.”

Sylva assured Nigerians that the federal government is working to find permanent solutions to the petrol crisis, adding that as part of the solution, the government recently set up a 14-member committee in order to avoid future occurrences.

He also said the government has embarked on refinery rehabilitation, with the Port Harcourt refinery at about 65 percent completion, while Kaduna just got awarded to Daewoo of South Korea.

Sylva also cited the federal government’s “20 percent equity stake” in the Dangote Refinery, as well as the licensing of modular refineries.

All these, he said, are geared toward increasing crude oil production to meet domestic consumption.