* NNPC attacks DAPPMA over N26.7bn debt
The latest round of fuel scarcity might end in a few days’ time
if the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation sustained the
current level of supply of Premium Motor Spirit, major oil
marketers and depot owners said on Wednesday.
The Major Marketers Association of Nigeria confirmed that its
members, including Total Nigeria Plc, 11 Plc (formerly Mobil Oil
Nigeria Plc), Oando Plc, Conoil Plc, MRS Oil Nigeria Plc and Forte
Oil Plc, were receiving the product from the NNPC.
“The NNPC has been giving us product and we have been
distributing it; all what we are hoping for is that they should
continue at the rate they are giving us,” the Executive Director,
MOMAN, Mr. Obafemi Olawore, told our correspondent on the telephone
on Wednesday.
Asked if there would be an end to the current fuel scarcity any
time soon, he said, “It is gradual. If they keep giving us the
product like this, the scarcity should end in a few days’
time.”
On Tuesday, the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers
Association said its members did not have petrol in their tanks
despite the recent announcement by the NNPC that it had started
offloading products in depots across the country.
When contacted on Wednesday, the Executive Secretary, DAPPMA,
Mr. Olufemi Adewole, said, “Two of our depots have received
products now and they are loading. Unfortunately, one of them that
was supposed to load was turned back. I don’t know why; I am still
trying to investigate. But two of them have received product and
they are loading.
“We are loading and we are going to keep loading. Our members
have promised to do 24 hours until the queues disappear, provided
they get the product.”
A top official of a Lagos-based oil marketing company, who spoke
to one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity, said a new
vessel, named Captain Gregory, arrived in Apapa on Wednesday
morning, laden with about 35 million metric tonnes of petrol.
“If supply can be consistent like this, things will get better
and people should be able to celebrate New Year without fuel
scarcity,” the source said.
Efforts to reach the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association
of Nigeria were not successful.
The National Operations Controller, IPMAN, Mr. Mike Osatuyi, on
Tuesday told one of our correspondents that members of the
association could only get the product from the NNPC after making
payments.
“We are not saying the NNPC does not have the product. But it
has to get to where they can discharge it and load it to our
members. You know there was no banking activity in the last four
days, and our members pay before loading unlike majors that can get
the product on credit. But I believe from tomorrow (Wednesday) when
banks would resume, there will be more payments into the NNPC
system and there will be more loading,” he had said.
Also on Wednesday, the NNPC attacked DAPPMA over a recent
statement that its members had no petrol in their storage tanks
despite claims by the national oil firm.
It also stated that DAPPMA members owed it the sum of N26.7bn
for products received, adding that the statement credited to the
association on the fuel supply situation, especially as regards
petrol, was “very unfortunate.”
DAPPMA had stated on Tuesday that its members had no PMS,
popularly called petrol, in their various depots and tanks despite
claims by the NNPC that it had started loading products in depots
across the country.
The Executive Secretary, DAPPMA, Adewole, had said, “While we
cannot confirm or dispute NNPC’S claims of having sufficient
product stock, we can confirm that the products are not in our
tanks and as such, cannot be distributed. If the products are
offshore, then surely, they cannot be considered to be available to
Nigerians.”
But the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division,
NNPC, Ndu Ughamadu, in a statement on Wednesday, said the
corporation had supplied appreciable volume of petrol to members of
DAPPMA, MOMAN and IPMAN to solve the challenges being experienced
in the supply and distribution of petroleum products across the
country.
The oil firm said, “The NNPC regrets that DAPPMA, whose members
had taken receipt of products from the Petroleum Products Marketing
Company, a subsidiary of the NNPC, and owe the company to the tune
of N26.7bn as of December 21, 2017, has the audacity to indict the
NNPC unjustifiably.
“The statement by DAPPMA that the current hiccups in the supply
of products were due to the inability of the Direct Sale Direct
Purchase partners of the NNPC to deliver on their business
obligations is unfounded and self-indicting as many of DAPPMA
members patronise the same DSDP international counterparts as the
corporation.”
The corporation stated that despite the concession by the
Federal Government for DAPPMA to obtain foreign exchange at an
official rate of N305 to one dollar for the PMS import, members of
the association had not been able to do so, leaving the NNPC as the
sole supplier of petrol to the Nigerian market.
“The NNPC assures the public that despite the increase it
effected in the supply of the PMS in December 2017, it has
nonetheless programmed to supply 1.2 billion litres of the white
product in January 2018, translating to about 40 million litres of
the PMS supply per day. Ordinarily, Nigeria consumes about 700
trucks (about 27 million to 30 million) litres per day,” the oil
firm said.
It added that there was no plan to increase the pump price of
petrol above N145/litre and that it would continue to maintain the
ex-depot price of N133.28/litre, which would guarantee the pump
price not exceeding the N145 as capped by the Federal
Government.
“All stakeholders are implored to support the efforts of the
government to bring a speedy end to the current fuel distribution
challenges being experienced in parts of the country as this is not
the time to play the blame game,” NNPC said.
This is coming as long queues of motorists persisted in Abuja
and neighbouring states of Niger, Nasarawa and Kaduna on
Wednesday.
Also, many petrol stations were shut on Wednesday, as fuel
attendants at the outlets insisted that they had no product to
dispense.
In Ekiti State, independent petroleum marketers reduced fuel
price to below N200 per litre.
The development came on the second day of the sale of petrol in
the Government’s House dump to the public.
Governor Ayodele Fayose had on Monday directed the sale of the
fuel at the dump at the pump price of N145 per litre to members of
the public to cushion the effect of the hardship of the fuel
scarcity on them during Christmas.
One of our correspondents, who went round the state capital on
Wednesday, observed that the sale of the government fuel was still
ongoing at the Alade Filling Station, Iyin Ekiti Road.
The Phenrose Oil and Gas station in Irona was selling the
product at N180 per litre to motorists, while the Nipco filling
station at Adebayo Road and Akinbami filling station in Ureje sold
it for N190 per litre.
This was against the price of N400 per litre it was sold for at
the black market on Monday.
Also on Wednesday, the Department of Petroleum Resources in
Cross River State shut down two fillings stations for selling
petrol above the government approved price of N145 per litre.
This came just as independent marketers accused the DPR of
failing to address why the product was sold by major depots to them
at over N160 ex-depot price as against the government approved
N133.28.
The state Controller of the DPR, Mr. Bassey Nkanga, who shut the
filling stations during a surveillance in Calabar, said that the
stations were violating the government directives.
Nkanga said that it was wrong for oil marketers to increase the
pump price when the Federal Government had not done so.
An independent petroleum outlet, Uddy King, was shut for selling
the product at N190 per litre, while Uko-Ma was sealed for selling
at N205 per litre.
But a Calabar-based certified independent marketer, Mr. Justin
Ugbe, said government had refused to address the main issue but had
taken solace in shutting filling stations.
Ugbe, who is the Managing Director, Deweb Nigeria Limited, said
the DPR was feigning ignorance by sealing filling stations without
closing down the depots.
Similarly, the Oyo State joint task force of the Nigeria
Security and Civil Defence Corps and the DPR on Wednesday sealed
five petrol stations in Ibadan for hoarding fuel.
A statement by the Public Relation Officer of the NSCDC, Oyo
State Command, Oluwole Olusegun, said that the patrol team also
forced a filling station to sell 2,000 litres of the product to the
public after being found guilty of selling above the N145 official
pump price.
The statement said, “The team sealed five fuel stations for
hoarding the product and selling beyond the official pump price.
Some of the fuel stations that were today (Wednesday) penalised are
KB Petrol in Ashi area of Ibadan, Roylab Petrol in Akobo area,
Jasfad Petrol Station also in Akobo and Swort Oil in Ashi area of
the city.
“The Oyo State Commandant, John Adewoye, who led another team
round the metropolis, said that illegality being perpetrated by the
fuel marketers will no longer be tolerated and that anyone caught
in the act will face the wrath of the law.”
* NNPC attacks DAPPMA over N26.7bn debt
The latest round of fuel scarcity might end in a few days’ time
if the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation sustained the
current level of supply of Premium Motor Spirit, major oil
marketers and depot owners said on Wednesday.
The Major Marketers Association of Nigeria confirmed that its
members, including Total Nigeria Plc, 11 Plc (formerly Mobil Oil
Nigeria Plc), Oando Plc, Conoil Plc, MRS Oil Nigeria Plc and Forte
Oil Plc, were receiving the product from the NNPC.
“The NNPC has been giving us product and we have been
distributing it; all what we are hoping for is that they should
continue at the rate they are giving us,” the Executive Director,
MOMAN, Mr. Obafemi Olawore, told our correspondent on the telephone
on Wednesday.
Asked if there would be an end to the current fuel scarcity any
time soon, he said, “It is gradual. If they keep giving us the
product like this, the scarcity should end in a few days’
time.”
On Tuesday, the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers
Association said its members did not have petrol in their tanks
despite the recent announcement by the NNPC that it had started
offloading products in depots across the country.
When contacted on Wednesday, the Executive Secretary, DAPPMA,
Mr. Olufemi Adewole, said, “Two of our depots have received
products now and they are loading. Unfortunately, one of them that
was supposed to load was turned back. I don’t know why; I am still
trying to investigate. But two of them have received product and
they are loading.
“We are loading and we are going to keep loading. Our members
have promised to do 24 hours until the queues disappear, provided
they get the product.”
A top official of a Lagos-based oil marketing company, who spoke
to one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity, said a new
vessel, named Captain Gregory, arrived in Apapa on Wednesday
morning, laden with about 35 million metric tonnes of petrol.
“If supply can be consistent like this, things will get better
and people should be able to celebrate New Year without fuel
scarcity,” the source said.
Efforts to reach the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association
of Nigeria were not successful.
The National Operations Controller, IPMAN, Mr. Mike Osatuyi, on
Tuesday told one of our correspondents that members of the
association could only get the product from the NNPC after making
payments.
“We are not saying the NNPC does not have the product. But it
has to get to where they can discharge it and load it to our
members. You know there was no banking activity in the last four
days, and our members pay before loading unlike majors that can get
the product on credit. But I believe from tomorrow (Wednesday) when
banks would resume, there will be more payments into the NNPC
system and there will be more loading,” he had said.
Also on Wednesday, the NNPC attacked DAPPMA over a recent
statement that its members had no petrol in their storage tanks
despite claims by the national oil firm.
It also stated that DAPPMA members owed it the sum of N26.7bn
for products received, adding that the statement credited to the
association on the fuel supply situation, especially as regards
petrol, was “very unfortunate.”
DAPPMA had stated on Tuesday that its members had no PMS,
popularly called petrol, in their various depots and tanks despite
claims by the NNPC that it had started loading products in depots
across the country.
The Executive Secretary, DAPPMA, Adewole, had said, “While we
cannot confirm or dispute NNPC’S claims of having sufficient
product stock, we can confirm that the products are not in our
tanks and as such, cannot be distributed. If the products are
offshore, then surely, they cannot be considered to be available to
Nigerians.”
But the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division,
NNPC, Ndu Ughamadu, in a statement on Wednesday, said the
corporation had supplied appreciable volume of petrol to members of
DAPPMA, MOMAN and IPMAN to solve the challenges being experienced
in the supply and distribution of petroleum products across the
country.
The oil firm said, “The NNPC regrets that DAPPMA, whose members
had taken receipt of products from the Petroleum Products Marketing
Company, a subsidiary of the NNPC, and owe the company to the tune
of N26.7bn as of December 21, 2017, has the audacity to indict the
NNPC unjustifiably.
“The statement by DAPPMA that the current hiccups in the supply
of products were due to the inability of the Direct Sale Direct
Purchase partners of the NNPC to deliver on their business
obligations is unfounded and self-indicting as many of DAPPMA
members patronise the same DSDP international counterparts as the
corporation.”
The corporation stated that despite the concession by the
Federal Government for DAPPMA to obtain foreign exchange at an
official rate of N305 to one dollar for the PMS import, members of
the association had not been able to do so, leaving the NNPC as the
sole supplier of petrol to the Nigerian market.
“The NNPC assures the public that despite the increase it
effected in the supply of the PMS in December 2017, it has
nonetheless programmed to supply 1.2 billion litres of the white
product in January 2018, translating to about 40 million litres of
the PMS supply per day. Ordinarily, Nigeria consumes about 700
trucks (about 27 million to 30 million) litres per day,” the oil
firm said.
It added that there was no plan to increase the pump price of
petrol above N145/litre and that it would continue to maintain the
ex-depot price of N133.28/litre, which would guarantee the pump
price not exceeding the N145 as capped by the Federal
Government.
“All stakeholders are implored to support the efforts of the
government to bring a speedy end to the current fuel distribution
challenges being experienced in parts of the country as this is not
the time to play the blame game,” NNPC said.
This is coming as long queues of motorists persisted in Abuja
and neighbouring states of Niger, Nasarawa and Kaduna on
Wednesday.
Also, many petrol stations were shut on Wednesday, as fuel
attendants at the outlets insisted that they had no product to
dispense.
In Ekiti State, independent petroleum marketers reduced fuel
price to below N200 per litre.
The development came on the second day of the sale of petrol in
the Government’s House dump to the public.
Governor Ayodele Fayose had on Monday directed the sale of the
fuel at the dump at the pump price of N145 per litre to members of
the public to cushion the effect of the hardship of the fuel
scarcity on them during Christmas.
One of our correspondents, who went round the state capital on
Wednesday, observed that the sale of the government fuel was still
ongoing at the Alade Filling Station, Iyin Ekiti Road.
The Phenrose Oil and Gas station in Irona was selling the
product at N180 per litre to motorists, while the Nipco filling
station at Adebayo Road and Akinbami filling station in Ureje sold
it for N190 per litre.
This was against the price of N400 per litre it was sold for at
the black market on Monday.
Also on Wednesday, the Department of Petroleum Resources in
Cross River State shut down two fillings stations for selling
petrol above the government approved price of N145 per litre.
This came just as independent marketers accused the DPR of
failing to address why the product was sold by major depots to them
at over N160 ex-depot price as against the government approved
N133.28.
The state Controller of the DPR, Mr. Bassey Nkanga, who shut the
filling stations during a surveillance in Calabar, said that the
stations were violating the government directives.
Nkanga said that it was wrong for oil marketers to increase the
pump price when the Federal Government had not done so.
An independent petroleum outlet, Uddy King, was shut for selling
the product at N190 per litre, while Uko-Ma was sealed for selling
at N205 per litre.
But a Calabar-based certified independent marketer, Mr. Justin
Ugbe, said government had refused to address the main issue but had
taken solace in shutting filling stations.
Ugbe, who is the Managing Director, Deweb Nigeria Limited, said
the DPR was feigning ignorance by sealing filling stations without
closing down the depots.
Similarly, the Oyo State joint task force of the Nigeria
Security and Civil Defence Corps and the DPR on Wednesday sealed
five petrol stations in Ibadan for hoarding fuel.
A statement by the Public Relation Officer of the NSCDC, Oyo
State Command, Oluwole Olusegun, said that the patrol team also
forced a filling station to sell 2,000 litres of the product to the
public after being found guilty of selling above the N145 official
pump price.
The statement said, “The team sealed five fuel stations for
hoarding the product and selling beyond the official pump price.
Some of the fuel stations that were today (Wednesday) penalised are
KB Petrol in Ashi area of Ibadan, Roylab Petrol in Akobo area,
Jasfad Petrol Station also in Akobo and Swort Oil in Ashi area of
the city.
“The Oyo State Commandant, John Adewoye, who led another team
round the metropolis, said that illegality being perpetrated by the
fuel marketers will no longer be tolerated and that anyone caught
in the act will face the wrath of the law.”
Read more https://nairalaw.com/fuel-scarcity-may-end-in-few-days-major-marketers/