Fuel Queues: NNPC Insists Enough Products Available in Stock, Queues to Clear in Days
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has again reassured Nigerians that it has enough petrol stock in its depots despite the scarcity, especially in Abuja and surrounding states.
The statement is coming against the noticeable queues within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) which have existed unabated for weeks.
According to the national oil firm, Nigeria has about 1.9 billion litres of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol in various facilities in the country that could last for 32 days.
Expressing the hope that normalcy would be restored in a couple of days, the Group Executive Director, Downstream, Mr. Yemi Adetunji, who spoke during an inspection tour of the filling stations across FCT, explained that the challenge was temporary.
Adetunji said that the NNPC was making every effort to ensure energy security for the country, noting that with Lagos sorted out, the company in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders will soon bring the situation in Abuja under control.
“Today, we have 1.9 billion litres of PMS; Lagos is cleared and in a couple of days, we will clear the queues in Abuja,” Adetunji added.
Speaking earlier, the Chief Executive, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr. Farouk Ahmed, confirmed that products supply around the area has increased from 70 to 140 trucks on the average in the last three days.
He cautioned marketers against selling above government’s approved pump price as any station that engages in any such sharp practices will be sanctioned accordingly.
Ahmed explained that the pump price of petrol remains N165 per litre, promising to take action against defaulters, including the withdrawal of service licence from the defaulting depots, you as well as shutting them down.
“We are actually trying to monitor the dispensing to ensure that all the stations with petrol are dispensing all their trucks to reduce the long queues and ensure efficiency in service.
“We are monitoring the depot sales also, checking the number of trucks that loaded; this is a serious issue which we are looking at. There has been a lot of improvement in the distribution of PMS. We have gone round the Airport road and we have seen a lot of stations selling and discharging fuel.
“The queues are not long like before and the average trucks we have received in Abuja in the last three days are about 140 trucks against 70 trucks to 80 trucks received before; so there is a lot of improvement.
“Credit also goes to transporters because now they are reacting to the president’s offer of additional N10 as an incentive on their transportation charges. At least we are seeing the improvement,” he said.
