Give us few more days to end Fuel crisis, DPR, NNPC, PPMC say

The Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR; Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and its downstream subsidiary, the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, PPMC, on Thursday assured Nigerians that the ongoing fuel scarcity will thin out in the next couple of days.

This was even as the fuel crisis continued unabated across the country as majority of the fuel stations remained shut, while motorists struggled to purchase the commodity from the few petrol stations that were selling.

The DPR blamed the scarcity on a shortfall in fuel supply, stating that over the last couple of days, product lifting to the FCT had dropped significantly compared to actual demand.

Speaking in an interview with Vanguard, Mr. Mohammed Saidu, Head, Public Relations, DPR, Abuja, blamed the scarcity partly on the strike embarked upon by the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO and Petroleum Tanker Drivers, PTD, stating that despite the fact that the strike had been called off, it will take between seven to eight days for supply to stabilize.

Saidu further stated that the DPR had constituted a task force to enforce the sale of the product to motorists and also to eliminate sharp practices.

He said: “The function of the taskforce is to ensure that the limited quantity supplied to the FCT is sold to motorists. Though, we get reports that most petrol stations are engaged in illegal activities at night, due to the fact that the taskforce do not work at night. We hope to deal with such cases decisively.”

He expressed optimism that fuel supply to the FCT will improve in the next couple of days, projecting a rise in fuel supply to meet actual demand by next week.

According to him, fuel import has improved, adding that the only challenge is in the lifting of the products from the depots.