Abuja – The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to exercise his authority as Minister of Petroleum Resources and urgently coordinate government responses to the fuel scarcity.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Executive Director of the group Mr Adetokunbo Mumuni, in Abuja on Monday.

Mumuni noted that the fuel situation was exacerbating extreme poverty and stripping millions of Nigerians of any real opportunity to exercise their human rights and take on responsibilities.

He said: “the longer this fuel scarcity continues the greater the difficulties Nigerians will face. President Buhari now has to take control of the Ministry of Petroleum to end the suffering.

“This will be by ensuring that fuel is available and properly distributed across the country.
“There’s a lot of work to do in this sector; so the president should roll up his sleeves and sort this out before it goes out of hand.

“Nigerians need a permanent solution to the fuel crisis as an oil producing county. This government must not fall for the quick fix and the short-term measures.

“The current development has perpetrated a string of misfortunes for the citizens: poor living conditions, ill-health, marginalisation, and inability to enter into the life of society and assume responsibilities.

“This situation is entirely inconsistent and incompatible with Nigeria’s human rights commitments and cannot be justified given that Nigeria is among leading producers of oil in the world.”

He noted that the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights recognised poverty as a violation of the obligations assumed by states.

“Indeed, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights itself has recognised poverty as a violation of the obligations assumed by states parties
under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to which Nigeria is a party,’’ Mumini said.