FUEL SCARCITY: EDO SETS UP COMMITTEE TO MONITOR PRICING, DISTRIBUTION
By ‘Leke Yusuf
Following fuel scarcity protests in Benin, the Edo State capital earlier in the day, the Edo State Government announced on Monday evening that it had set up a committee to monitor the distribution and pricing of petroleum products in the state.
This was contained in a press statement signed in Benin by the Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media ProjectsĀ Crusoe Osagie.
Osagie said “The government acknowledges the plight of the Edo people who have had to endure gruelling experiences accessing petroleum products as well as the exorbitant prices the product is sold for in the State in the last few days.”
FULL TEXT OF THE PRESS RELEASE BELOW:
The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has studied the grievances expressed by protesters as stated in the letter addressed to him on the issue.
The government acknowledges the plight of the Edo people who have had to endure gruelling experiences accessing petroleum products as well as the exorbitant prices the product is sold for in the State in the last few days.
On account of that, the government is undertaking the following actions within the next 24 hours:
i. Set up a Monitoring Committee made up of actors in the private sector, civil society organisations and government, who will monitor the distribution and pricing of the product in order to ensure that shylock marketers do not take advantage of the situation to rip Edo citizens off.
ii. Schedule a meeting with all stakeholders in the product distribution value chain to deliberate on the issues responsible for distribution hurdles and price hike and find lasting solutions to the matters arising.
The government thanks all Edo people for being law-abiding and also appreciates the protesters for being peaceful even as we work with all concerned to ease the situation and build a progressive State together.
Crusoe Osagie
Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media Projects