– Says Issues Concerning Fuel Import Have Been Resolved
FOLLOWING recent fuel shortages experienced by consumers in many parts of Nigeria, the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company has allayed fears over the
situation, assuring that there is enough fuel in strategic reserve to last for more than a month.
The Group General Manager Public Affairs of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr Levi Ajuonuma, quoted the Managing Director of PPMC, Mr. Haruna Momoh, as saying that all the issues that led to the initial hitch in supply have been resolved.
“There were a number of issues like the Petrol Tanker Drivers (PTD) strike in Kwara, Rivers and Edo States which have been resolved. There was also the issue of marketers’ reluctance to import products as a result of the uncertainty about subsidy payment which has also been resolved with the recent appropriation for subsidy included in the 2012 budget by the President. So marketers have resumed importation, and we have enough fuel in our strategic reserve to last until their cargoes start arriving,” Momoh was quoted to have said.
Earlier in the week, the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency had debunked reports that it had stopped processing subsidy claims from genuine importers.
Also, the Director of Budget in the Ministry of Finance, Dr Bright Okogwu, while appearing before the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) earlier on Thursday promised to write to the Central Bank to restore credit lines to credible product importers to enable commence importation.
The Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) also commended the management of NNPC for sustaining fuel supply in spite of the uncertainties.
The PPMC boss urged Nigerians to avoid panic buying as there is enough fuel to go round.