Indications have emerged that the current
fuel scarcity across the country will not
come to an end soon, following the
Federal Government’s N151 billion
indebtedness to oil marketers.
While the Independent Petroleum
Marketers’ Association of Nigeria, IPMAN,
said that the Federal Government still
owes oil marketers N151 billion
outstanding fuel subsidy claims, the
executive secretary of the Petroleum
Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency,
PPRA, Mr. Ahmed Faruk, who did not
specify the amount owed, admitted that
the non-payment to marketers is partly
responsible for the fuel crisis being
experienced in some parts of the country.
Faruk, however, said that over nine
vessels were discharging about 200
million litres of premium motor spirit,
PMS, otherwise known as petrol, across
the country.
He said: “From our report, we have over
nine vessels currently engaged in
discharging products in various depots
across the country. From Calabar to
Oghara, we have Lister Depot; it is
supposed to be discharging for Oando.
“We have Atlas Cove vessels discharging
for Pipeline and Products Marketing
Company, PPMC. We have vessels
discharging in Apapa. All in all we have
over 200 million litres being discharged
by various vessels.
‘No need to panic’
“There is no need for any panic because
we have the product. And I can advise the
general public just to calm down and go
about their normal businesses; not to
panic as the product is available.”
Reacting to the money being owed to
marketers, Faruk explained, “Before then,
some of the marketers were finding it
difficult to secure credit lines to open
letters of credit to bring their impor-
tation. But I understand that payments
were being made.”
Also, Faruk said that rumours of alleged
moves by the Federal Government to
increase the pump price of PMS led to the
scarcity of fuel as some marketers began
to hoard the product.
However, IPMAN said that sequel to the
last fuel scarcity experienced nationwide,
government made frantic efforts and
released N41 billion for part-payment of
what it owed marketers to enable them
continue product supply.
According to IPMAN, before then
government had not paid marketers since
September 2013.
Scarcity, prices
Notwithstanding the position of PPPRA,
scarcity of fuel is being experienced in
various parts of the country except Lagos.
Though the long queues witnessed at
filling stations in the thick of the fuel crisis
some weeks ago are no longer there, fuel
prices have hovered between N120 and
N140 in different parts of the country.
In Aba, the Abia State commercial nerve
centre, residents have been buying a litre
of fuel for between N120 and N125 in the
last nine months.
Kalu Ogbuka, a resident, told Vanguard
that though he has been buying above the
official price, his concern has been the
availability of the product.
He said: “Aba is a commercial city and
people do not want to be distracted from
their businesses due to lack of fuel. In
some filling stations, you can buy at
N120, while some sell at N125.
“In the last nine months, we have become
used to the situation that people hardly
complain.”
The story is similar in Owerri, the Imo
State capital, where the residents have
had to contend with the exorbitant price of
between N115 and N125.
According to Angus Ike, a civil servant,
residents of the state have resigned
themselves to fate as the only places fuel
is sold at the official price are the few
NNPC stations in Owerri, which are not
enough.
Abuja
In Abuja, the nation’s capital, Vanguard
learnt that outside the major filling
stations, fuel is sold for between N100
and N110, while roadside vendors have
been making brisk businesses selling 10
litres of fuel are sold between N1,500 and
N2,000.
The Department of Petroleum Resources,
DPR, attributed the situation in Abuja to
pressure from motorists in the
neighbouring states.
According to the Abuja Zonal Controller of
DPR, Mr. Aliyu Halidu, most motorists in
the neighbouring states come to Abuja to
buy fuel because of the availability of the
product.
He said: “The supply to Abuja fluctuates
between 80 and 120 trucks per day. Why
we have queues, even if we have 120
trucks in Abuja, is because the environs
are not being served and they are dried.
“If anybody comes to Abuja, the tendency
is for the person to fuel his car before
going back. Those coming from Niger,
Nasarawa and Kogi congregate here to
take fuel.
“There are commercial vehicles that come
with dry tank and they fill their tanks here
before they go back.”
The Zonal Controller explained that DPR
also tried to make sure that stations sold
with maximum number of pumps, in
addition to ensuring that the product is
sold at the official pump price.
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