The Chairman, Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff, Hope Uzodinma, has cautioned fuel dealers and tank farm owners against sabotaging the Yuletide.
Uzodinma, who made this known in a statement at the weekend, in Abuja, decried that some persons were playing politics with the distribution of petroleum products by hoarding them.
According to him, dealers and tank farm owners were giving the Federal Government a bad name for political reasons.
He said the scarcity coming at a time Christians were preparing to join their counterparts all over the world to celebrate the birth of Christ, smacked of a great sabotage.
The lawmaker added that from statistics available to his committee, “The volume of petroleum products imported into the country can serve motorist till first quarter of next year.
“Christians all over the world and indeed Nigeria hold the Christmas period dear to their hearts and nobody or group of persons should be seen to be sabotaging this all important feast’’.
He called on the authorities to carry out thorough investigation into the scarcity with a view to sanctioning erring dealers.
According to him, since the increase in pump price of fuel in the last two years, there has been steady supply of petrol in the filling stations and wondered why fuel scarcity is coming during the Yuletide.
He further called on the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to consider extending its searchlight on possible sabotage within its management to fish out those bent on frustrating government effort.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
