"At this point, the only option available to us is to travel from Bakassi to Calabar to source for petroleum products and in most cases, our people usually have problems with security agents."

TheNigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority(NMDPRA) says it will consider a request for the supply of fuel to fishers inBakassi Local Government Areaof Cross River State.

The Regional Coordinator of NMDPRA, South-south, George Ene-Ita, said this when the Chairman of Bakassi local council, Iyadim Iyadim, led a delegation of fishers to his office.

Mr Ene-Ita said he would write a proposal to the management of NMDPRA with a view of bringing concerned authorities and interested public to discuss the matter.

According to him, the cross border smuggling had caused the government to prohibit fuel stations located 25km to the border from lifting petroleum products.

"The policy is a remedial measure to curb cross border smuggling.

"In the interim, approval will be given and the modalities of the approval will be worked out by the NMDPRA regional office.

"Such approval will be subjected to the condition of holding the communities' representatives accountable for any breach of product," he said.

Earlier, the council chairman told the NMDPRA coordinator that the activities of fishers had declined because of lack of fuel to power their boats.

He added that their source of livelihood was mainly fishing.

"At this point, the only option available to us is to travel from Bakassi to Calabar to source for petroleum product and in most cases, our people usually have problems with security agents.

"The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation floating station which was supposed to serve the coastal communities has not been operational for years now," he said.

(NAN)