Fuel Crisis: Gov Otu set up task force, freezes Govt accounts
By Idongesit Inyang
As the cost of petroleum product bites harder in Cross River, the state governor, Prince Bassey Otu has approved the constitution of a joint task force to ensure that the products are sold and not diverted or hoarded.
The 11 member task force has Mr Peter Okim as chairman and Mr. Boniface Okache as secretary ànd they are also to ensure that operators of tank farms and fuelling stations sell products at the approved government regulated price.
Members of the task force who are drawn from different stakeholders in the oil and gas sectors including security agents are also expected to seal off any fuelling stations that fail to adhere to government directives.
In a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, general administration office, Dr. Innocent Eteng, members of the task force must ensure that petroleum products are sold at official rate.
Senator Otu in the statement, appealed to oil marketers to open their stations to Cross Riverians.
According to him, “There is no need to make life too difficult for Cross Riverians. I appeal to oil marketers to open their fuel station and sell fuel at an approved pump price.”
As the time of filing this report, the NNPC stations in the state sell at N511 per litre while independent marketers sell at N550 per litre.
In another development, governor Bassey Otu has set up a transition review committee which is headed by Ntufam Fidelis Ugbo, with Prof. Eyo Etim Nyong as a member and Prof. Owan Enoh as Secretary.
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This is contained in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, general administration office, Dr. Innocent Eteng,
Also, Prince Bassey Otu, the governor of Cross River State is reported to have ordered the immediate freezing of all State government’s accounts.
The governor said “I have asked all accounts of the state to be frozen immediately and that all transactions be stopped forthwith.”
He said, “I have been briefed by the Accountant General and the Head of Service. I have informed them that we need to do a needs assessment in terms of employment and other things.”
Otu also said that all internally generated revenue of the state will be channelled into a single account.
