Against perceived scarcity of petroleum products in Abia State, the Operations Controller of the Nigerian Mainstream & Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA which is formerly Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Mr. Emmanuel Okoro has advised residents of the State not to panic as Government has not increased the pump price of petroleum products while assuring that there will be enough petroleum products at the Osisioma Depot.
Motorists and some other users of the petroleum product were thrown
into confusion following the scarcity of the product in many Filling Stations, a situation which saw some Independent Marketers sell Petrol Motor Spirit (PMS) as high as N200 per Litre.
Speaking to Journalists in Umuahia, the Operations Controller blamed the recent strike embarked upon by the Petrol Tanker Drivers (PTD).
“There was scarcity of petroleum products recently, that was because the product we had at the Osisioma Dapot had finished about two weeks ago.
“Then there was also Petrol Tanker Drivers strike which we understand had to do with the road from Osisioma junction to the Depot which was bad. We understand that about thirty eight (38) tankers have fallen there within this year alone, and that PTD said unless that road is made motorable, they would not allow their drivers to work, and that compounded the problem”. Note that the PTD are responsible for moving the products in their tankers from the Depot to the retail outlet (Filling Station). So, if they don't move the products from the Depot to the Filling Stations, there would be scarcity when the stock at the stations are exhausted.
He revealed that that supply of petroleum products has resumed at the Osisioma Depot and that there would be sufficient products in the State during the Christmas through the New Year holidays season.
He applauded the Abia State Government for their intervention to resolve the PTD strike which led to the ongoing palliative work on the road in collaboration with some private
individuals.
“So the strike by PTD has been called off and we are currently receiving products at Osisioma Depot.
We expect that given that situation, we should not see any increase in the price of PMS within this Christmas and the New year. So we expect that marketers will sell at the approved pump price of between N162 and N165 per litre.
Competition among the various marketers group will also keep the price within the approved range.
He used the forum to educate residents of the categories of Marketers
which are the Independents, Major and the NNPC Mega Stations from where
they can buy their products.
“We are doing surveillance and if we find any Station selling above the pump price, we will compel them to revert to the pump price and if we have evidence that they did not comply, we will implement the appropriate sanctions”, he maaintained.
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