Senate Urges FG To Resolve Subsidy Payment With Marketers

Senate

The Senate on Thursday, urged the Federal Government to dialogue with oil marketers with a view to bring an end to the issue of subsidy payment.

The Senate also urged the government, to as a matter of urgency and national interest, direct all the relevant agencies to ensure prompt payment of the subsidy arrears as approved by the Senate.

Senators equally urged the oil marketers to suspend their planned indefinite strike and allow the government to take action.

Adopting a motion by Sen Kabiru Marafa (APC, Zamfara), senators expressed concerns that if the issue was not addressed immediately, Nigerians would be at the receiving end.

Marafa, in his motion, said after the National Assembly approved the sum of N429 billion in promissory note as requested by the Executive arm to settle the subsidy arrears, the Debt Management Office (DMO) came up with another measure by engaging an international audit firm to screen the marketers’ documents.

He said such development was an unfortunate one considering that the same documents were scrutinised and approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) before being forwarded to the National Assembly for approval.

He said it appeared some vested interest were bent on sabotaging the government’s efforts at settling the debts, which he said, should not be allowed to happen.