By NAOMI UZOR

Nigeria Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), has said that President Jonathan’s pronouncement may have relieved Nigerians of the burden of doubts over the removal of subsidy on fuel in 2013, but normalcy is yet to return to all fuel stations.

In a parley with Journalists, the National President of NACCIMA, Dr. Ademola Ajayi, said normalcy is yet to return to all fuel stations as many still sell the product (petrol) at between N120 and N140 per litre as against the approved pump price of N97 per litre.

According to him, the authorities need to note that the citizens are naturally apprehensive and more interested in the pump price they pay for fuel and the resultant usual rise in transportation cost, adding that the chamber expects the authorities to put their acts and mechanisms together, remove inherent corruption already unmasked and free up this important sector from frequent problems and distractions.

“What the Government needs to urgently do is for the Department of Petroleum Resources to live up to its responsibility by attacking the incidence of sabotage in the supply and distribution channels of fuel in the country.”

Unless something is done and very fast to arrest the situation, the upcoming yuletide period might be marred by the usual unpleasant scarcity of petroleum products” he said.

He said the chamber commend Government for reviewing the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which is expected to transform the entire oil and gas sector and present a new legal framework to guide the industry when passed by the National Assembly.