Senate Calls for Lifting Of Petrol Sale Ban On Communities, 20 Kilometres to Idiroko

The senate has asked federal government to lift its ban on petrol supply to twenty kilometre to communities on the Nigeria’s border with Idiroko in Ogun State.

The senators want the lifting of the ban to be extended to other communities in the country, 20 kilometres to Nigeria’s land borders.

The senate passed the resolution, following a motion of urgent importance on the ban, raised by senator Olamilekan Adeola.

It asks the acting comptroller general of Nigeria customs service, to lift the ban, because the removal of petrol subsidy no longer justify the restriction.

Adeola in his motion, had argued that the ban was no longer necessary with the removal of petrol subsidy.

The continued ban, according to Adeola, who is the senate chairman of appropriation committee, is crippling businesses and increasing economic hardships in the border communities.

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The lawmaker said the suspension order has really affected the people living in border communities across Yewal and in Ogun State, particularly in the Idiroko axis where he said only five licenced independent petroleum marketers are allowed to dispense the commodity to over 500,000 residents with over 150 dispersed towns and villages.

Adeola argued that “since there is no longer subsidy on our petroleum products as proclaimed by the president, there is no longer justification for the restriction order because the price of petrol across the international borders has also gone up in line with the new price regime across Nigeria” he said.

All senators who contributed to the motion lamented the “untold hardship” being faced by the people living in border communities due to the restriction on fuel and fertiliser, especially in the northern part of the country.

The Senate, in its resolution, urged the offices of the comptroller-general and NSA to intensify preventive and enforcement measures to combat smuggling of all kinds in the country.

The Senate mandated its committees on Customs and Excise, and National Security and Intelligence, when constituted, to ensure compliance and report back in four weeks for further legislative action.