Long fuel queues to disappear next week –FG assures

By Biola Adebayo On Feb 11, 2023

NNPCL ,fuel scarcity, FCT — NNPCL gives reasons for persistence fuel scarcity

The Federal Government has assured that long queues at petrol filling stations across the country will disappear as from next week.

It said this was sequel to steps currently being enforced to stop the ongoing petrol crisis across the country.

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, disclosed this on Friday, in Lagos, after his tour of selected petroleum dispensing outlets.

He said an inter-ministerial intervention initiated by the Federal Government was set up to ensure proper management of petrol distribution across the country.

”The situation is pleasant because I observed availability of products in the state. I visited many stations in Ikeja and the Mainland and from every indications there are products everywhere and I want to assure you that the queues will disappear in a matter of days,” Sylva said.

The minister said the situation in Lagos has been achieved in 15 states across the country, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered that queues must be cleared immediately.

Commenting on the arbitrary hike of fuel pump price by some marketers, Sylva said he has directed the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to increase its regulatory activities to ensure marketers abide by the current price regime.

According to the minister, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCLtd.) retail outlets are selling at N184 per liter and over 900 outlets operated by the company sell the product at the price.

He said all marketers are expected to dispense the product at the price, noting that the fuel crisis has lasted longer than expected.

He said, “Government did not see it coming. Sabotage played key role in the sector as those who did not mean well for the country took advantage of the upcoming elections to create panic by engaging in market disruptions.”

He said the inter-ministerial body inaugurated by the President is working in synergy to address all challenges and block all potholes.

Besides, according to him, owners of Petroleum Products Tank Farms in Ijegun-Egba, Satellite Town, Lagos, say the ongoing massive loading of petrol from depots to different parts of the country will ease scarcity.

The chairman of Tank Farm Owners Association, Debo Olujumi, gave the assurance on February 9 in Lagos while receiving direct petrol allocation from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

Olujimi said Nigerians should be aware that petrol had become fully available and sold at government regulated ex-depot price of N172 per litre at all satellite depots.

The Ijegun-Egba depot has about five depots, namely: Emadeb Energy Services, A.A. Rano Energy, Menj Oil, Ocean Pride and Rainoil.

According to him, in February, NNPCLtd. allocated over 150 million litres of petrol to satellite depots.

“We are assuring Nigerians that the product will be sold at regulated price and we have commenced massive loading to all states of the federation to ease scarcity.

“We want Nigerians to trust us, and we assure that the product will be distributed effectively as directed by government to ease scarcity and eradicate panic buying.

“Going forward, the product will be sold at the regulated pump price in all Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN and Major Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN filling stations across the country.

“We have also directed that all depots within the satellite Ijegun depot that sell above the regulated ex-depot price would be sanctioned,” he said.