… Reps summon Lokpobiri, Ekpo, Kyari
The Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) has announced the arrival of additional vessels carrying a combined 300 million liters of petrol, a development that is expected to ease petrol scarcity plaguing Africa’s biggest economy.
This latest shipment is expected to bring much-needed relief to motorists who have been facing long queues and pump shortages in recent weeks.
The arrival of these vessels comes after weeks of petrol scarcity that has caused significant disruption in Lagos. The major marketers have assured Nigerians that they are working diligently to ensure a steady supply of petrol throughout the state.
“We are actively coordinating with our member companies through swaps and other supply arrangements to ensure member stations remain stocked. Our depots will extend their loading times to ensure we load out as much as we can including tomorrow the 1st of May 2024,” Huub Stokman, managing director, NNPC Retail Limited and chairman of MEMAN said on Tuesday evening.
He noted that the association’s top priority is to restore stability and ensure that fuel supplies reach all depots and retail outlets across Nigeria promptly.
“While the current situation has been challenging, we want to reassure the public that there is an adequate supply of PMS available. Our members in Apapa and other locations in Lagos are taking products from 8 vessels this week with over 300 million litres of PMS, well above our normal levels,” Stokman said.
“Our partners in NARTO & PTD have assured us of their support in ensuring the product gets to the retail outlets safely and quickly. We also will extend the opening times of selected retail outlets to ensure we can service our customers as long and as safely as possible. Independent marketers (depots & stations) are being allocated additional PMS to alleviate the situation,” he noted.
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives passed a resolution to invite Heineken Lokpobiri, the minister of state for petroleum resources (oil); and Ekperikpe Ekpo, his counterpart for the gas sector over the fuel scarcity being experience in the country.
The house members also summoned Mele Kyari, the group chief executive officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), over petrol shortages in the country.
This followed a motion of urgent national importance by a member of the House, Umar Ajilo, raising concerns over lingering queues at petrol stations nationwide.
The House expects the ministers and the NNPCL boss to explain the true reason for the scarcity and the measures put in place to bring it to an end. No date has been set for the engagement.
Fresh queues resurfaced in the country last week, lingering into the new week as stranded motorists buy petrol for as high as N800 per litre, while black marketers rake in as high as N1,500 per litre.
