YULETIDE: Lawmakers Direct IGP to Remove Roadblocks in South East
The House of Representatives on Thursday directed the inspector-general of police (IGP) and other security agencies to dismantle all roadblocks from Lagos and Abuja to the Southeast.
The measure, the lawmakers noted was a deliberate move to facilitate the free flow of traffic and relieve the pains and hardship of the motorists and other road users traveling during this festive season.
Besides, the House asked the police to immediately disband all checkpoints at the Onitsha Head Bridge, which is creating heavy gridlock and directed that the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) deploy men and materials to ensure free flow of traffic between Asaba and Onitsha.
In a unanimous decision sequel to a motion to the effect by Obinna Chidoka, the House asked all security agencies to comply.
They urged the federal government to develop effective mechanisms and explore different options to cushion the effect of persistent rise in the price of cooking gas in Nigerians.
The House also mandated its committee on gas resources to liaise with the minister of state for petroleum resources to proffer lasting solution to the rising cost of cooking gas
This followed a motion on the Urgent Need to Check the Persistent Increase in the Price of Liquefied Natural Gas moved by Afolabi Olalekan Rasheed.
The House noted that Nigerians have been facing various challenges including insecurity, extreme poverty, high cost of food and essential consumables and, most recently, a persistent rise in the price of cooking gas.
The lawmaker noted that cooking gas is a basic need for many Nigerians, especially those living in the urban and semi urban areas who use it daily for preparing their meals.
He wondered why Nigeria, which is ranked 9th among the countries in the world with the highest reservoir of gas resources with about 207 trillion standard cubits’ feet as of 2019, would subject its citizens to such hardship arising from high cost of cooking gas.
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