Nigeria: Senate Asks Yar'Adua to Stop Rise in Diesel, Kerosene' Prices
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Vanguard (Lagos)
10 July 2008
Posted to the web 10 July 2008
Emmanuel Aziken
Lagos
The Senate yesterday urged President Umaru Yar'Adua to intervene towards stemming the skyrocketing prices of diesel and kerosene in the country.
The Senate resolution which was upon a motion moved by Senator Kabiru Gaya and sixty-one other Senators was upon what was alleged as the negative economical impact on the price increases on the nation.
Senator Gaya (ANPP, Kano South) presenting his motion observed that "this situation has paralysed industrial activities in most parts of the country resulting in the loss of millions of jobs; high cost of transportation, increase in the cost of food items, goods and services and a general high cost of living."
Seconding the motion, Senator Smart Adeyemi (PDP, Kogi West) called for a ban on the importation of generators as he linked the poor power supply in the country to a mafia involved in the importation of generators who he accused of frustrating efforts in improving electricity supply.
"Importation of generators should be banned as a way of ensuring that we get serious with the problem of energy. Those who have got billions from the sales of this product don't want government to fix the problem.
"For the seven point agenda of Mr. President to be realized, these products must be affordable. A lot of our colleagues who are involved in the importation of this product will not want it to be banned but we must take radical step," Senator Adeyemi said.
His view on a ban on the importation of generators was echoed by Senator Ayogu Eze in his contribution.
"The issue of trying to apply a cosmetic solution sitting here will not go very far. As a true representative of the people, we cant close our eyes to what is happening in that sector. We know that, today the economy of this country is resting on Diesel while the lives of the people we represent in the villages are resting on Kerosene.
There is no power supply in the villages and I believe there is need for radical approach. Let us see whether we can combat the cartel that is bringing in generators who will understand has also been responsible for the collapse of our power sector," Eze argued.
Senator Ibrahim Turaki (Jigawa, PDP), in his own contribution described the motion as timely but called for caution in addressing a reduction in the price of diesel.
Senator Maaji Lawan (ANPP, Borno Central) in his own contribution noted that the effect of the price increase was now affecting every segment of the population.
"Every sector, be it Agriculture, Industry, Transportation are confronted with the same hydra-headed monster. The situation of Diesel on the cost of transportation and the cost of food is so fundamental not to talk of Kerosene that almost every household in the rural areas and even in urban centre depend on Kerosene for their cooking."
"The effect of this is so drastic that the Senate as a responsible house should respond not only by way of just passing motion, to draw attention to it, but of course, following it up."
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Following contributions from some other Senators including Senators Antony Manzo (Taraba, PDP North), Nuhu Aliyu (PDP, Niger North) and Lee Maeba (PDP, Rivers) among others, the Senate urged the President to direct the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to intervene in the matter whilst it directed its Committee on Downstream Petroleum to investigate the issue.
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