Investigation
on Thursday showed that loading of petrol at private depots and the
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s depots in Lagos, Oyo, Ondo,
Ogun and Kwara states had virtually come to a halt.
The
scarcity of petrol had started with the Yuletide, but assurances by the
authorities had raised hopes of a quick solution. However, marketers
say the scarcity will worsen.
The National
Assembly, about two weeks ago, approved N161bn as supplementary budget
to sustain the fuel subsidy regime, in an attempt to avert the scarcity
of petroleum products during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
However, fuel scarcity, which has been a recurring decimal in the country’s downstream petroleum industry, has resurfaced.
Spokesman
for the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company Limited, Mr. Nasir
Imodagbe, said that the scarcity in Lagos was caused by the fire
incident at Ije-ododo, Ojo Local Government Area of the state.
The explosion, which occurred last Monday, was said to have been caused by activities of fuel vandals.
He said though repair work had started on the pipeline, it would not be completed till next week.
He
said, “We have started the repair of the pipeline. It is likely going
to be completed next week. As soon as it is completed, we will release
products through the pipelines.
“We have pipelines
all over the country. We should not be having problems with
distribution of products. It is important that Nigerians treat the
petroleum pipeline as critical national infrastructure. Those that
vandalise these pipelines live among us.”
Imodagbe said since the pipeline was vandalised, PPMC had been bridging products to the FCT with trucks.
He
said, “Abuja is adequately supplied with products but there was no
loading on Christmas Day. This is the reason for the hiccups you have
been seeing, coupled with the fact people bought products massively
before the Christmas Day.
“Now, people are
returning and some are still travelling. That is why there are
pressures. We expect that in the next one or two days, the situation
will return to normal.”
However, marketers, who
spoke to one of our correspondents on the telephone on Thursday, said
government was being economical with the truth. He added that loading at
private depots in Apapa, Lagos and other NNPC depots in the state as
well as Oyo, Ondo, Ogun and Kwara states was almost impossible due to
the unavailability of petrol.
The Chairman,
Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, South-West branch,
Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, who spoke to one of our correspondents on the
telephone on Thursday evening, said loading at Apapa Depot as well as
the Ejigbo, Mosimi, Ilorin and Ore had almost been paralysed.
He said, “I can’t lie to you, much is not happening at Apapa Depot and other depots.
“The problem is just that there is no product to go round. Nigerians should, therefore, endure the situation.”
A
former Chairman, Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association,
Chief Sylvester Okoli, said petrol was being sold for N120 in Anambra
State, though the scarcity was not very pronounced.
The
scarcity became evident in Lagos last Friday but worsened on Sunday as
many of the filling stations ran out of stock. Those with the product
had long queues of desperate motorists.
As a
result of the scarcity, most filling stations in Lagos and Ogun states
started selling above the regulated price of N97 per litre.
This was aside from others that had fraudulently adjusted their pumps.
Abuja was not better, as the few filling stations with petrol had very long queues of motorists.
A
top official of one of the oil marketing companies in Apapa said that
almost all the depots in the area had not received product since last
week Thursday.
“In fact, since Saturday, we have not done much,” the source said.
Meanwhile,
the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu, had last
week raised the alarm that the activities of pipeline vandals, if left
on unchecked, could cripple the smooth operation of the downstream
sector of the industry.
He said in less than five months, the pipelines of the NNPC had been broken in 774 places.
According
to him, less than one week after the vital system 2B was restored
through extensive repair work on the ruptured Arepo point, the
corporation was compelled to shut the line owing to the attack on the
Ije-Ododo point.
He lamented the unending wave of
pipeline hacking and product theft which had been posing a great danger
to the efficient distribution and supply of petroleum products in some
parts of the country.
Source: Punch
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