The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, yesterday said that it had released 250 trucks of petrol to Lagos metropolis for effective dispensing even as fuel queues were noticed at filling stations at the weekend.
The corporation’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Ndu Ughamadu, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.
According to him, there has been a slight change in the distribution network in Lagos, as Lagos is currently being supplied by members of the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN.
“At the weekend there was a hitch in discharging of petrol by ships which has been ratified.
“Today, 250 trucks have been discharged to Lagos compared to less than 200 trucks usually allocated to Lagos at the weekend,” he said.
The NNPC spokesperson said that the ships which commenced discharging since Saturday night had finished discharging, adding that in a couple of hours the long queues will disappeared and normalcy will return to Lagos.
Ughamadu urged motorist to avoid hoarding of petrol and panic buying, as there is sufficient products in stock that will last for days.
The NNPC spokesperson also acknowledged a slight hitch at the Port Harcourt refinery due to power problem.
“Port Harcourt refinery is slightly down for now, pending when the problem will be rectified.
It was however learnt that fuel queues had started springing up again in most filling stations in Lagos State.
The queues which were noticed in the early hours of Saturday had begun to increase by afternoon across the state.
Many of the filling stations operated by major marketers were not selling while outlets owned by Independent Marketers were shut.
At Ikorodu, Epe, Mile 12 and Lekki axis, most filling stations who had products were selling above the official pump price.
Reacting to the situation, spokesman of NIPCO, Abiodun Lawal, said the company was consistently loading and supplying to marketers, but the volume had marginally dropped.
“I can confirm we are currently loading but I don’t have the statistics; however I must say that we don’t have enough supply at the moment. I think that explains the resurgence of queue at filling stations,” he said.
Also, the Executive Secretary of the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketing Association, DAPPMA, Olufemi Adewole, noted that there was shortage of petrol supply across the country.
Adewole said that what is playing out is the preference of NNPC deploying more supply to the major marketers.
