Petrol shortage: Pump price remains at N184 per litre – Minister of state

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Petrol shortage: Pump price remains at N184 per litre – Minister of state

THE Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timpre Sylva, has put the pump price of petrol at N184 per litre.

The Minister of state, who was in Lagos, Friday, to monitor the supply and compliance of oil marketers, said the government has taken bold steps toward enhancing supply of the product nationwide.

Speaking to journalists after the tour of filling stations, Sylva said that an interministerial intervention initiated by the Federal Government has set out to ensure proper management of petrol distribution across the nation.

He stated: “The situation is pleasant because I observed the availability of the product in the state. Petrol is everywhere both in Lagos and Abuja. I visited many stations in Ikeja and the mainland and from every indication, there is product everywhere. I want to assure Nigerians that the queues will disappear in a matter of days.

“The situation which we witness in Lagos has been achieved in 15 states across the country. The President has ordered that queues must be cleared immediately.”

Commenting on the arbitrary pricing of the product, he said: “I have already directed the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, to upscale its regulatory activities to ensure marketers abide by current price regime.

“The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, retail outlets are selling At N184 per liter and over 900 outlets operated by the company is selling at that price and that is the official price everybody is expected to sell.”

He partly attributed the shortage to sabotage, adding that the government did not see it coming, as those who did not mean well for the country took advantage of the upcoming elections to create disruption and panic.

Already, the Independent marketers have commenced the lifting of petrol at ex-depot price of N172 per litre from the Ijegun-Egba Tankfarm in Lagos.

Speaking at the commencement of lifting in Lagos, Thursday, the chairman of the association, Mr. Adebowale Olujimi, said the operators would continue delivery to the marketers in order to reduce the pain on Nigerians.

He said: “We will like everyone to know that petrol which Nigerians have been suffering from in the last few months is available and is sold at the government-regulated price in all the depots in Ijegun.

“As of today, the NNPC Limited has delivered over 150 million litres to us this month. Some vessels are currently discharging at the jetty. Nigerians can trust us to serve them. Going forward, we expect that the product will be sold at the retail end of the business at affordable prices which government has fixed for each area where Nigerians can get the product at the right pump price and in all the filling stations across the country.”

Similarly, the Regional Coordinator South West of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, Engr. Lukeman Ayorinde Cardoso, promised effective monitoring and enforcement targeted at enhancing distribution.

He said: “We are ramping up enforcement because of the new regime at every product. You can see that right now, we’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Things are getting better right now.

“I can say that as at today, the inland depots have about 580 million litres, and in the marine, offshore, you have about 690 million litres as well. So, all in all, both marine and inland depots, you have about 1.3 billion litres.

“So, that shows that we have sufficient fuel, and all these figures translate to about 22 sufficiency days. We know we also have issues with distribution, but they are also being addressed just like the Chairman said earlier on”.

Also speaking at the event, the depot manager of Menjoil Limited, Mr. Umar Aliyu, who commended the efforts of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, for stepping up supply, promised to sell the product at the N172 per litre government-regulated price.

Other members of the association engaged in the operation of Petroleum Storage Tankfarms and Facilities at Ijegun – Egba, including A.A. RANO Nigeria Limited, JGold Nigeria Limited, Chipet International Limited, Emadeb Energy Services Limited, First Royal Oil Nigeria Limited, MAO Petroleum Company Limited, Menj Oil Limited, Ocean Pride Energy Services Limited, Stallionaire Nigeria Limited, Wosbab Energy Solutions Limited and Rainoil Limited, also pledged commitment to delivering the product at the regulated price.