FG, Marketers Agree to End Petrol Scarcity by June 13

The Federal Government and Oil Marketers have agreed to end the on-going fuel scarcity in the nation on Saturday, June 13th.

FG met with the Oil Marketers on Friday, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, Pipelines and Product Marketing Company, and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Department of Petroleum Resources, Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, Petroleum Equalisation Fund and the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources attended the meeting.

After the meeting which lasted for hours, Mr Taye Haruna, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry said “The PPMC in conjunction with marketers, both major and independent, have been directed to increase the level of supply of PMS to all retail outlets nationwide with immediate effect. It was, however, identified that one of the constraints to the distribution of products is the logjam at Apapa in Lagos State. Currently we have over 2,000 trucks lined up on the roads in Apapa.

“So we have agreed to work with the Lagos State government, Petroleum Tanker Drivers, Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners and other stakeholders to clear the logjam. Some trucks have been there for the past 10 days waiting to load products but couldn’t get access to the depot. So we have to clear there in order to start moving products out of the depots.

“We have enough stock that can last about 23 days. Also we agree to set up a committee of stakeholders to monitor the loading and delivery of products nationwide. We have also agreed that efforts be made to clear these long queues before the end of June 13, 2015, that is next week.

“PPMC has assured us that they have products and we have also seen some evidence from the vessels that are around. Once the vessels are being cleared, we have resolved that we are going to move products to clear the queues.”