The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Fuel scarcity

  • Fuel scarcity: Tanker drivers to partner govt

    Fuel scarcity: Tanker drivers to partner govt

    The Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) has pledged to work with the Federal Government to end the ongoing fuel scarcity across the country.

    Its National Chairman, Comrade Salimon Oladiti, said the union will work round the clock to ensure the delivery of petroleum products to filling stations across the country through out the festive period and beyond.

    He expressed the readiness of PTD to support government at reducing the problem of fuel scarcity to the barest minimum through the engagement of tanker drivers to work round the clock, without weekends and holidays, lifting and discharging products around the country, until queues disappear from filling stations.

    He praised the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachukwu for the wonderful job he is doing to address the fuel scarcity. He assured that PTD will continue to support President Muhammadu Buhari in his efforts to make Nigeria a better society for all.

    Comrade Oladiti urged  caution among  Tanker Drivers, particularly during the season, saying, much as more is expected from his members at this season, they should be safety conscious, given high vehicular traffic on the high way. He advised all road users to obey traffic rules and made road safety their watchword.

    He ask stakeholders in  road transportation sector of the economy as well as oil marketers and Allied industries to join hands and support the Federal Government current efforts at cost effective supply and distribution of fuel products at lower price across the country, such that Resources are channeled to other meaningful and welfare pogrammes.

  • Yuletide: Travellers decry fare hike, fuel scarcity

    Yuletide: Travellers decry fare hike, fuel scarcity

    Passengers travelling to different parts of the country ahead of the yuletide have decried the hike in the cost of transportation as well as the lingering fuel scarcity nationwide.

    Some of the passengers who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja, however, said they were not surprised at the hike.

    At the popular Jabi motor park in Abuja, a passenger, Mr. Danjuma Audu, said that the increase in fare during yuletide was not a new development in the country.

    Audu noted that it was the usual practice of transporters to fare during festive seasons.

    He, however, expressed concern that the lingering fuel scarcity and the current economic situation in the country had added more pains to travelers and Nigerian masses in general.

    “Before now, I used to pay N2, 000 from here to Ankpa in Kogi State; but today I paid N3, 000.

    “The situation is bad; it is unbearable but we cannot stop moving because we have important things to do in our various places,’’ he said.

    Another traveler, Mrs. Josephine Akindele, said she paid N5, 500 to travel to Lagos as against the N4, 500 she had paid on the same route some weeks ago.

    Akindele urged the Federal Government to find a solution to the continuous fuel scarcity plaguing the nation, to ameliorate the suffering of the masses.

    Meanwhile, Malam Adamu Madaki, the Chairman of Zaria Line at Jabi Park, noted a significant drop in the turnout of travelers this year, compared to previous years.

    Madaki said that even though there was fuel scarcity, motorists had restrained themselves from hiking fare arbitrarily, due to the low turnout of passengers and the economic situation in the country.

    According to him, the fare to Zaria, Kano and other parts of the North remain constant N1, 700 to Zaria and N2, 000 to Kano.

    On the other hand, at the Peace Mass Transit Park, Utako, NAN gathered that the fare from Abuja to Enugu had jumped from N4, 500 to N5, 500 while Abuja to Port Harcourt now costs N7, 000 as against N6, 000 previously.

    A passenger, Mr. Dan Eze, told NAN that the hike in fare was expected, considering the usual rush during yuletide and the lingering fuel crisis.

    Eze, however, advised the government to devise a means of addressing the fuel scarcity, to enable motorists to provide effective and efficient service to the travelling public.

    He further urged motorists to ensure the safety of travellers by putting their vehicles in proper shape and sensitise their drivers against reckless driving.

     

  • NNPC orders special supply of petrol for hitch-free Yuletide

    NNPC orders special supply of petrol for hitch-free Yuletide

    The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, has directed relevant agencies to embark on special supply of petroleum products to ensure country-wide availability at Yuletide.

    This is contained in a statement signed by Ohi Alegbe, Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, in Abuja on Sunday.

    The agencies are Pipelines and Products Marketing Company and Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency.

    It said the special supply intervention mechanism would entail the ramping up of additional supply via massive truck-out to guarantee product penetration to the nooks and crannies of the country teed-off over the weekend.

    It added that daily fuel truck out to Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, Enugu, Ibadan and Jos had been increased significantly to enhance free flow of products across the country.

    “NNPC is consolidating its strategic alliance with some major depot owners and oil marketers with strong regional logistics outlay in those areas to ensure maximum infiltration of products.

    “The collaboration would be especially in the hinterland ahead of the Christmas and New Year festivities.’’

    It called on the public to refrain from hoarding, diversion and panic buying of product.

    It added that the intervention measure would help circumvent the challenges posed by the unavailability of pipelines for the transportation of petroleum products.

    It noted that product diversion was an economic crime and warned that it would not hesitate to report offenders to the security agencies for prosecution.

  • FG pays oil marketers N407bn to end fuel scarcity 

    FG pays oil marketers N407bn to end fuel scarcity 

    The Federal Government has paid N407, 076,805,386.30 subsidy claims to oil marketers to end the lingering fuel crisis.

    A statement from the federal ministry of finance signed by Mr. Marshall Gundu, Director, Press of the ministry said the Minister of finance Mrs. Kemi Adeosun has confirmed the payment to the oil marketers.

    Adeosun noted that President Muhammadu Buhari had directed that the payments should be “made immediately in order to bring to a quick end the lingering fuel crisis which has caused great suffering to Nigerian families and businesses.”

    The minister of finance also said that “despite dwindling revenues, the government is committed to ensuring continuous availability of fuel to Nigerians.”

    Wednesday’s payments to oil marketers she said “include arrears from the 2014 financial year as well as payments for the current year.”

    With this payment, the federal government she said expects the recipients to “ensure adequate supply of fuel to end the persistent fuel shortage in the nation.”

    By making this payment to oil marketers, the federal government said it has shown its full commitment “to meeting its financial obligations in respect of fuel subsidy.”

    The Minister further implored the major oil marketers to reciprocate government’s action by doing all they can to bring the fuel scarcity to an end.

    The statement said details of the approved payments under the subsidy scheme will be published in the national dailies as has been the practice.

     

  • Fuel scarcity over soon, says minister

    Fuel scarcity over soon, says minister

    Following approval of the subsidy payment by the National Assembly, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, yesterday assured Nigerians that the fuel scarcity would be over in a few days.

    The minister, who spoke at Daily Trust in Abuja, also said the 2016 budget, to be submitted to the National Assembly soon, ‘’will address the yearnings of Nigerians’’.

    On fuel scarcity, he said: ‘’We can confidently announce here today that the scarcity will end in a few days. Subsidy payment till the end of the year has been approved by the National Assembly. As you know we can’t spend money without approval.”

    Mohammed explained that the N521 billion approved by the National Assembly, as part of the supplementary budget of N574.4 billion, would be enough to cover the fuel subsidy till end of the year.

    He assured Nigerians that such scarcity would not repeat itself, saying: ‘’We won’t be caught in this kind of situation again.’’

    The minister thanked the management and staff of the newspaper for the role they played in the general election.

    ‘’The sacrifice you made helped to bring about the change that Nigerians desired. You stood by the people when it mattered most, and we will continue to engage with you all through the tenure of this administration to exchange ideas in the interest of Nigerians,’’ he said.

    Mohammed announced a plan to set up an ad hoc committee, comprising representatives of the government, military and media to enhance the exchange of information, especially on the war against terrorism.

    The minister was received by Mr. Kabir Yusuf, chairman/chief executive officer of the Daily Trust, who led a team of other top management officials.

  • Subsidy payment will end fuel scarcity- Minister

    Subsidy payment will end fuel scarcity- Minister

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says the approval of N522 billion by the National Assembly for subsidy payment will end fuel scarcity in the country.

    Mohammed said this when he paid a courtesy visit to the Corporate Headquarters of Media Trust Ltd., the publisher of Daily Trust and Weekly Trust Newspapers.

    “What was approved Tuesday, the entire N574 billion, N522 billion of it is for subsidy while the balance is to continue the war effort in the north eastern part of Nigeria.

    “Now people asked us why did we wait for this to happen. The truth of the matter is that the money in 2015 budget for fuel subsidy was exhausted and we had to go back to the National Assembly to ask for approval.

    “We have the money, we could easily have paid them but that would be unlawful to be spending without the appropriation.

    ”But I can assure you that by the grace of God, Nigerians will not have to experience this kind of scarcity again.”

    The minister stressed the need for a standing media team and government to interact on national security, to ensure mutual understanding.

    He said the visit was to commend the Media Trust Ltd for reflecting his party’s views and executing editorial independence and profession in the run up to the general elections.

    In his response, the Chairman, Editorial Board of the Media Trust Ltd., Alhaji Kabiru Yusuf, commended the minister for the visit, saying this kind of visit would help the company to engage government on national issues.

    “Let me say thank you Honourable Minister for taking trouble to be here. You have been here before but we are glad to welcome you and also wish you well in this difficult job of being Minister of Information. We wish you God’s guidance in your duties.”

     

  • IPMAN wants petroleum products loading decentralised from Lagos

    IPMAN wants petroleum products loading decentralised from Lagos

    The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), on Sunday, urged the Federal Government to decentralise loading of petroleum products to make for effective loading at depots across the country.

    Chief Lawson Obasi, National President, IPMAN, told newsmen in Port Harcourt that spreading of petroleum products to other coastal depots across the country would end current scarcity.

    He said that a situation where government only distributed petroleum products to tank farms in Lagos was partly responsible for current scarcity and high cost of product.

    “The current government approach, where marketers across the country are expected to load petroleum products from only depots in Lagos state, is counter-productive.

    “To solve current scarcity of fuel; government must decongest Lagos by sending petroleum products to coastal depots in Port Harcourt, Calabar and Warri.

    “By decentralising supply and distribution from Lagos to other depots; it would become easier for IPMAN members to lift products and distribute to filling stations,” he said.

    Obasi said that the current policy by government should be revised to enable marketers have unlimited access to petroleum products for distribution to final consumers.

    He denied that marketers had hoarded products to deepen current scarcity to make more profit from sales.

    According to him, the Pipelines Products Marketing Company (PPMC) should, as a matter of urgency, commence distribution of products to other depots in the South-South to end current fuel scarcity.

  • Senate orders NNPC to end fuel scarcity in two weeks

    Senate orders NNPC to end fuel scarcity in two weeks

    The Senate on Thursday ordered the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and all the agencies under the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to end petroleum products’ scarcity in the country within two weeks.

    The upper chamber also said notable sharp practices including discrepancies in prices of petroleum products, especially Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and hoarding of products should be stopped forthwith.

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Senator Lilian Ekwunife, gave the order at a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and its parastatals in Abuja.

    The Senate had on Tuesday asked its committee on Petroleum (Downstream) to investigate the circumstances surrounding the perennial fuel scarcity in the country.

    Senator Ekwunife insisted that Nigerians are not interested in efforts being made by the NNPC, Pipeline Products Marketing Company (PPMC) and other agencies to ease the biting fuel scarcity in parts of the country.

    What Nigerians wanted, she said, is availability of products nationwide.

    She said, “We are therefore mandating the minister, the Permanent Secretary and other relevant agencies to end fuel scarcity in the country in two weeks. Discrepancies in prices of products must also end.”

     

  • Kaduna: DPR dispenses free fuel at erring filling station

    Kaduna: DPR dispenses free fuel at erring filling station

    The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), has sealed a filling station in Kaduna metropolis and dispensed fuel in its underground tank to motorists and motorcyclists free of charge for hoarding the product.

    The station, Samrada Nigeria Limited located at Romi Junction in the state capital, was caught hoarding a total of 19, 500 litres of fuel.

    The agency during its routine inspection of Petrol Stations across the state discovered that the petrol station was also selling above the N87 per litre pump price only at night.

    This is even as the scarcity situation is getting worse day by day. While many filling stations are under lock and key, black marketers have taken over the major streets, determining the price at which to sell the product to motorists.

    Presently, a litre of petrol in Kaduna metropolis and environs is sold as high as 200. And where fuel is available at petrol stations, the pumps are adjusted and the queues very long.

    DPR officials led by the zonal controller, Usman Ndanusa, swooped on this particular station following a tip-off from concerned citizens that the management of the station was hoarding the scarce product.

    They opened up the station’s stock and uncovered 19,300 litres of fuel while the station had allegedly told distraught buyers that it had exhausted the stock.

    However, it was a cheering news for motorists and other members of the public who scrambled to have their tanks filled as soon as the DPR boss instructed that the fuel be sold free of charge in line with minister of Petroluem’s directive.

    The manager of the filling station complained of not getting the product from the depot at government approved price, hence they have to adjust their retail prices. The DPR officials also ordered another filling station along Romi road to reverse to the N87 pump price as against the N135 it was selling to customers when the officials arrived.

    The owner of the filling station was fined the sum of N100, 000 for selling above pump price.

    The controller explained that the punitive measure would serve as deterrent to other hoarders that it was no longer business as usual. He said the agency was poised to ensure that the commodity was properly distributed among commuters.

    While expressing hope that the scarcity of petrol across the state would soon disappear due to the increase in daily supply from Lagos, the Controller  however warned marketers to stop hoarding the product or face severe sanction if they are caught.

  • Nigerians write FG as fuel scarcity bites harder

    Nigerians write FG as fuel scarcity bites harder


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