For many weeks now, fuel has become a scarce commodity in most parts of the country. Two weeks before now, Nigerians were made to understand that the scarcity was caused by the strike action embarked upon by petrol tanker drivers in protest against the detention of fifty tankers and some of their members who were accused of illegally parking along Apapa road in Lagos.

On Thursday, April 23 2009, the management of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation NNPC) brokered a truce with the striking tanker drivers who on amicable terms called off the strike. Nearly two weeks after the strike was called off, the scarcity has become more acute than when the tanker drivers were on strike. Queues at filling stations have become longer and people have resorted to queuing as early as 3.00 am in order to get fuel to enable them be able to go about their businesses. Of course, as expected the impact of the fuel shortage has begun to have effect on social and economic activities. Movement of goods and services has become very difficult and this has forced prices of food items and other commodities up steeply making life very unbearable for the average Nigerians. The effect of all this on the already ailing economy as well as on productivity can better be imagined.

Most disappointing however is government's failure to keep Nigerians abreast of what measures it is taking to solve the crisis. We are particularly miffed about the silence of the Minister of Petroleum Resources and his counterpart at the Federal Ministry of Information and Communications who have kept sealed lips on the situation. In addition, contrary to the expectations of Nigerians, the Federal Executive Council (FEC), rose from its meeting last week without discussing the current fuel crisis creating the impression that the government could not care less about the harrowing effect of the fuel situation. Similarly, no government functionary has given any reasons for the awkward situation at hand.

In the last one decade, Nigerian leaders have remained oblivious of the imperatives of carrying out Turn-Around Maintenance on the four refineries in the country including the two (at Kaduna and Warri), which were repaired during the tenure of General Abdulsalami Abubakar and put back to use.

One major decision taken during the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to solve incessant fuel crisis was the granting of licenses to private individuals and companies to build and operate refineries to complement the existing ones. The nation needs to be told why those approved refineries are yet to take off the ground. Why are private companies reluctant to invest in building refineries and only interested in distribution of the refined product? The situation whereby crude oil has to be sent abroad to be refined and then shipped back does not depict Nigeria as a serious country. Importing refined fuel subsisted throughout the Olusegun Obasanjo administration-all 8 years of it-has remained the same in the past two years of this administration. Yet, it is as clear as daylight that unless we put the existing refineries into proper shape and encourage private participation in refining of crude oil, inadequacy would dog fuel availability. Since private companies are reluctant to get into refining, the government should also consider setting up new refineries that could gradually replace the ageing ones that are incapable of satisfying fuel needs of the country.

It is therefore of utmost urgency that the repair of the nation's four refineries should be effected. Moreover, other measures should be taken without delay to ensure easy access to fuel because on it depends many economic activities.