Worried by the ongoing fuel crisis that has brought pains to Nigerians across the states of the federation, the Senate has cut short its recess to find a solution to the problem.

The Senate which is billed to commence plenary on January 16 will now return onJanuary 4.

The immediate step the Senate has decided to take is to convene a meeting with stakeholders in the industry.

In view of this it has summoned the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Maikanti Baru and other relevant stakeholders in the petroleum sector to a crucial meeting on Thursday January 4, 2018.

The message which is contained in a statement issued by the media office of the Senate President reads:

“In a bid to end the ongoing fuel crisis and the untold hardship it is presently unleashing on Nigerians, President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Thursday, directed the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) to cut short its recess and immediately convene a meeting with industry stakeholders.

“Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Senator Kabiru Marafa, who disclosed this in Abuja, said following the directive, the Committee has summoned the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Maikanti Baru and other relevant stakeholders in the petroleum sector to a crucial meeting on Thursday January 4, 2018.

“He further added that the meeting which will be held in the Senate Hearing Room 221 and its proceedings aired live on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), is meant to address the lingering fuel scarcity bedevilling the nation in the last few weeks with a view to putting a complete stop to the unsavoury development.

“The Senate, which is presently on Christmas and New Year break is billed to resume Committee work for budget defence on January 9, and commence plenary on January 16.”

It would be recalled that Nigerians have suffered untold hardship in the past few weeks as a result of fuel scarcity.

The development has since led to buck passing between the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and the marketers of petroleum products.

While the NNPC accused the marketers of causing the crisis by hoarding fuel, the marketers said the NNPC had not supplied them adequate products to feed the public.

Also, while many filling stations are still closed, claiming they lacked the products, those with fuel are selling at exorbitant rates.

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Fuel crisis: Senate suspends recess, summons Kachikwu, Baru, others