The Nigerian National Petroleum Company, Limited, NNPC, says it has enough stock of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS also called petrol enough to meet domestic demand. Fuel queues grew longer in Abuja on 6th October 2022 with motorists spending long hours in queues to get the product which has intermittently had its supply disrupted since the beginning of this year.
Many filling stations, including the NNPC mega station in zone 1, Conoil, and Total, close to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) headquarters, had large queues of individuals waiting patiently to purchase petrol. Black marketers took advantage of the situation, selling petrol to interested motorists for as high as N3,500 for a 10-litre gallon container.
However, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) in a statement blamed the massive flooding in Lokoja, Kogi state for the supply disruption.
“The Authority wishes to state that the fuel queues are caused by unprecedented flooding in Lokoja, Kogi State, which has submerged a greater part of the city and grounded all vehicular movements. This unfortunately has affected the distribution of petroleum products to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and environs,” a statement from the agency stated.
The NMDPRA stated that transportation via alternate routes is now happening as part of attempts to minimize the crisis, assuring the public that there are enough petroleum products inland.
“Consequently, the general public is advised to avoid panic buying at fuel stations as the NMDPRA is working assiduously with relevant stakeholders and government agencies to ensure product availability across the country.
“While we do that, we urge the general public to remain calm and not to engage in panic buying of petroleum products.
“The current situation is temporary and has nothing to do with shortage of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) as the NNPC Ltd has a thirty-day products’ sufficiency.” Garba Deen Muhammad spokesman of the company assured in the statement. There have been concerns regarding a possible fuel scarcity. the statement by the spokesman quails such concerns but does not signify a change in the prices of AGO/MGO
Source: ThisDayLive, Oriental News
