Queues will dissappear by Wednesday – NNPC
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has informed the public that the current fuel shortages and the accompanying queues will be resolved by Wednesday.
The Chief Communications Officer at NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye shared this information with journalists on Tuesday in Lagos.
He stated that the company has more than 1.5 billion litres of fuel in stock, sufficient to last for at least 30 days.
“Unfortunately, we experienced a three-day disruption in distribution due to logistical issues, which has since been resolved.
“However, as you know, overcoming such disruptions typically requires double the amount of time to return to normal operations.
“Some folks are taking advantage of this situation to maximise profits.
“Thankfully, product scarcity has been minimal lately, but these folks might be exploiting the situation for unwarranted gain.
“The lines will be cleared out between today and tomorrow,” Soneye assured.
Similarly, the National Vice President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Hammed Fashola, has expressed optimism that the fuel queues in Lagos and Ogun will diminish this week, based on assurances from the NNPC.
However, Fashola noted that the queues in Abuja might persist longer because of the distance from Lagos.
“The information available to us from the NNPC Ltd was that there was a logistics problem, and when that happens, it will disrupt the supply chain.
“That might be a delay in the movement of ships from the mother vessel to the daughter vessel before it gets to the depot tanks.
“Before we can correct that, surely it will take some days. I think by Tuesday or Wednesday, there will be more products available for lifting by marketers.
“It might take time before it can ease off in Abuja, considering the distance to Lagos and the bad roads, Lagos might be calm this new week,” Fashola said.
Meanwhile residents of Badagry, Lagos were stranded on Tuesday as most commercial vehicles plying the area were off the road due to scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol.
Correspondent, who monitored the situation, reports that many workers and businessmen were sighted waiting endlessly at some bus stops due to unavailability of vehicles.
The situation led to a hike in transport fare as a litre of petrol in the area now sells as high as N1,000, while fare rose from N800 to N1,500 from Badagry to Mile 2.
At some popular bus stations in Badagry – Aradagun, Mowo and Agemowo, scores of residents were seen struggling to enter a few available taxis and commercial buses.
Mr Johnson Afilaka, a Badagry resident, said he could not go to work on Monday due to an increase in transport fare from Badagry to Mile 2.
“Today, we queued up for buses, but none came. A few taxis that came raised their fares so high.
“Government should come to our aid in Badagry by providing some of the Lagos BRT buses for us here,” he said.
Mrs Christiana Adigun, a staff of the National Population Commission (NPC), said she could not drive to her office due to difficulty in getting petrol for her car.
She said that in spite of the fact that she was willing to buy a litre at N1,000, it was difficult to get the product, adding that getting a commercial vehicle to her office also posed another challenge.
On sales of petrol in Badagry, only the NNPC fuel station at Aradagun and Mobil fuel station in Badagry were selling at official prices of N568 and N610 respectively.
However, other independent marketers with fuel stations were selling between N950 and N1,000 per litre.
Mr Friday Ajasa, a motorist, said his car had been on the queue at NNPC Aradagun since 7.00.a.m, adding that as at 12.00.noon, he was yet to get the product.
“When we blame the government for the scarcity, we should as well blame petrol marketers in Badagry for the hike because they are not helping the situation.
“Some of the cars on queue at the fuel stations in Badagry belong to cross- border illegal petrol dealers who usually take the product to Benin Republic to re-sell.
“Most of the major marketers here prefer to sell to them rather than sell to residents and this is the height of unpatriotic conduct.
“When these people enter, they buy up to 350 litres of petrol inside one car, and for us who just wanted 15 litres in our vehicles, they will tell you that petrol has finished,” he said.
Mrs Funke Alabi, a motorist on queue at Mobil filling station, called on security agents to check excesses of petrol pump attendants in the area.
Explaining the reason for petrol scarcity, Alhaji Abdul-Ganiyu Adelani, the Chairman, Independent Petroleum Marketers, Badagry, blamed the scarcity on lack of product at NNPC tank farm.
Adelani urged the NNPC to make available more petrol in their tank farms so that all filling stations in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria would get enough supply.
