Minister inspects filling stations in Lagos, assures massive distribution of petrol
******** Says pump price stays at N184 per litre
By Yusuf Yunus
Mr Timpre Sylva, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, says Federal Government has taken bold actions to stop the ongoing petrol crises across the country. assuring massive distribution of petrol across the country.
Sylva, gave the assurance after his tour to some selected filling stations within Lagos metropolis on Friday.
He said that he came on the directive of President Muhammdu Buhari, to assess the situation of things with regard to distribution and adherence to price regulation.
The minister said that an interministerial intervention initiated by government has set out to ensure proper management of petrol distribution across the country.
He reassured that with the current steps all hiccups leading to the current situation is being addressed.
According to him, “The situation is pleasant because I observed availability of products in the state, fuel is everywhere both in Lagos and Abuja.
” I visited many stations in Ikeja and the mainland and from every indications there are products everywhere and I want to assure you that the queues will disappear in a matter of days”, he said.
The Minister said the situation which we witness in Lagos has been achieved in 15 states across the country, adding that the President has ordered that queues must be cleared immediately.
On arbitrary price hike by some marketers, he said he has directed the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority ( NMDPRA), to upscale its regulatory activities to ensure marketers abide by current price regime.
He said, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd., (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, but l admitted there are sharp practices still ongoing.
Explaining how the situation degenerated into the crises point, Sylva said that government did not see it coming, saying that sabotage played key role in the sector as those who did not mean well for the country took advantage of the upcoming elections to create panic by engaging in market disruptions .
The Minister however, pointed out that other factors like, insecurity, foreign exchange scarcity, lack of currency availability further compounded the situation.
He said however, that the inter ministerial body inaugurated by the President is not working in synergy to put in check all seeming challenges and block all potholes.
The Business Intelligence ( TBI Africa) reports that on Feb. 9, NNPCL allocated 150 million litres of petrol to Ijegun-Egba Satellite depots owners to ease scarcity.
