Fuel scarcity would have been over if deregulation was allowed in 2012 - Lawmaker

Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa, (PDP Abia North) on Tuesday, urged the Federal Government to apologise to Nigerians for the hardship occasioned by scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

Ohuabunwa told newsmen that it was members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that championed mass protests when the previous government attempted to deregulate the sector.

He said that if the deregulation had been allowed to go through, Nigerians would not be going through the hardship they were currently experiencing as a result of the scarcity.

``It is unfortunate that Nigerians would have to go through this hardship in the midst of plenty: we are acclaimed the 5^th largest oil producing nation.

``I think it is important that the government in power should apologise to Nigerians because the level of hardship is getting too much.

``You remember that some time in 2012, the then government wanted to deregulate, most of those in government went round town calling the government names and almost brought the government to a standstill.

``But you can see now that we are deregulating through the backdoor because throughout this Easter season, down the East and South, I doubt if there is anywhere any person bought fuel anything below N150.

``Now it is between N180 and N200 per litre, so you can see that indirectly, we are deregulating through the backdoor,” he said.

He called on the Federal Government to not only look for a way to ameliorate the suffering of the people but to find a lasting solution to the problem.

He stressed that deregulating the sector was still the best way out of the problem of incessant scarcity of petrol.

``If they want to deregulate, fine let us go all out, whatever we want to do, this is the right time because we cannot continue this way.

``For me as a person, the best way to go is deregulation because when you deregulate, you allow the market forces to determine the price.

``Though initially it might be difficult in terms of price like we had in the telecommunication industry when sim cards sold for over N20,000 but today it is given almost free.

``It is very clear that this scarcity has gone off hand, we cannot manage it, we have been on it for over two months now.

``The Minister of State has said it would abate in two weeks time but the Minister of Petroleum who is President Buhari has not said anything.

``We should look for a lasting solution so that we do not relapse into this again,” he said.