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Arewa leaders urge government to punish culprits of fuel scarcity

By Saxone Akhaine (Kaduna), Sulaimon Salau (Lagos), Kingsley Jeremiah, (Abuja) and Michael Egbejule (Benin City)
14 December 2017   |   4:26 am
Arewa leaders have condemned the fuel scarcity experienced across the country, urging the management of NNPC to investigate the cause and punish the culprits.

• Nine vessels expected at Lagos ports
• NNPC increases operation to end fuel crisis
• Stakeholders assure end to fuel queues

Arewa leaders have condemned the fuel scarcity experienced across the country, urging the management of NNPC to investigate the cause and punish the culprits.

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), in a statement yesterday, said the government must take necessary measure to punish those who may want to sabotage the oil sector through scarcity of fuel supply, considering that the festivity of Christmas is at hand.

The statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Muhammad Ibrahim Biu said that “the meeting of ACF also expressed deep concern over the present fuel scarcity nationwide, resulting in long queues in petrol filling stations which cause untold hardship to commuters and motorists, especially in this Yuletide period.

“ACF notes that since the increase in pump price of fuel in the last two years, there has been steady supply of petrol in the filling stations and wonders why we have scarcity now. ACF therefore calls on the management of the NNPC to thoroughly investigate the remote and immediate causes of this fuel scarcity and take concrete measures to restore normalcy, considering the importance of the oil industry to the economy.”

Meanwhile, about nine tanker vessels laden with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, diesel, and aviation fuel are currently expected to berth at the Lagos ports.

Vessels statistics released by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) yesterday, showed that some of the vessels are expected to arrive today and tomorrow.

The products, which came in five vessels (petrol); two vessels (diesel), one aviation fuel and gas, are expected to bring relief to the ordeal of petroleum consumers who have been wasting useful man-hours to queue for fuel at filling stations.

The NPA statistics revealed that five other vessels laden with petrol, aviation fuel and diesel have been waiting to berth at the ports, but were yet to be cleared as customs release is not yet applicable (CRNAPP).

However, 25 other vessels would also arrive Lagos between now and December 25. The ships were laden with general cargo, wheat, sugar, steel products, and ethanol among others.

Even as the situation of fuel supply eases gradually in Lagos, consumers in Abuja and some other cities are yet to heave a sigh of relief.

The Guardian investigation showed that some of the filling stations have continued to ration products by selling from only one or two pumps. Also, operations across depots and retail stations of the NNPC have been increased by 24 hours to bring a lasting solution to the fuel crisis in the country.

Managing Director of the corporation’s Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), Umar Ajiya yesterday in Abuja said the group has been mandated to sell for free all horded products discoverd in depots and filling stations across the country.

According to him the group has also increased truck out of petroleum products to above 1300 trucks on a daily to ensure that the yuletide season is hitch-free.

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