Petrol Scarcity Persists In Abuja
…NNPC has this week to prove product availability, says IPMAN
Scarcity of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) petrol on Monday persisted in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
While The Nation monitored the petrol market situation around 10:00am to 11:30am, all the retail outlets between Kubwa and Zuba expressway were not selling to customers.
From Zuba to Giri junction to the Airport road by Soka, no station was selling petrol at that time.
While some of the outlets were under lock and key, other opened were not selling petrol.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had said plans are not underway to increase the price in this month of March 2021.
Warning the marketers to desist from hoarding the product, it urged the consumers not to engage in panic buying of the product.
According to the statement that the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kennie Obateru issued, NNPC has enough stock of petrol that can supply the nation for over 40 days.
It urged the relevant monitoring agencies to sanction hoarders and those that hike the pump price arbitrarily.
He said: “The Corporation stated that it has enough stock of petrol to keep the nation well supplied for over 40 days and urged motorists to avoid panic buying.
It further called on relevant regulatory authorities to step up monitoring of the activities of marketers with a view to sanctioning those involved in products hoarding or arbitrary increase of pump price”.
Speaking with our Abuja correspondent on phone, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), National Vice President, Alhaji Abubakar Maigandi, insisted that the private depots had no product and were not selling to marketers.
According to him, NNPC depots were also not selling to the marketers.
He challenged the corporation to use this week to prove petrol availability to the consumers.
His words: “Like I told you at the weekend, the private depots are not selling petrol. Besides, the NNPC depots are not selling to us. If the corporation says it has petrol, this week is enough for it to prove availability with abundant supply.”
