Cross River State Governor, Prince Bassey Otu has inaugurated an 11-man multi-stakeholder taskforce to checkmate the activities of petroleum dealers which have led to sudden fuel scarcity in the state.
The taskforce is to be headed by Mr Peter Okim while Boniface Okache is to serve as the Taskforce Secretary.
Inaugurating the committee, the Governor frowned at the activities of petroleum dealers in the state, describing their action as harsh.
He added that such attitudes have created artificial scarcity of the products and subjected the people to additional suffering.
Otu noted that the petroleum products currently in petrol stations and different tank farms are subsidized until July 2023.
He said the dealers ought to have been patient till when the subsidy period would be over.
“It is harsh of the petroleum dealers to increase the price because the President made a pronouncement stating his commitment to what is already known”, Gov. Otu said.
He charged the eleven-man task force members led by Peter Okim to execute their assignments with honesty and diligence.
He said they must ensure that the petroleum products are not hoarded and are sold at the right pump price in the state.
He also charged the task force to decongest the highways of petroleum tankers and trucks.
In his response, Okim assured that they will justify the confidence reposed on them in the discharge of their assignment by engaging the dealers and stakeholders to achieve the objective.
On the indiscriminate parking of petroleum trucks, Okim said, “We will get them to return to their parks and free the highway.
“Their presence on the highway has constituted a huge traffic risk and nuisance in the State Capital.”
Other members of the Taskforce include Asuquo Kingsley Bassey, Okoye Chidizie, Adulat Charles Inzor, Otu Ita Otu, Mbeb Williams, Kabiru Ibrahim, Ojoi Ekpenyong Ogette and S. B. Ahmed.
