Airlines Cancel Flights Over Aviation Fuel Scarcity

Posted on May 16, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The scarcity of aviation fuel, which has affected the industry over the past few days, became worse on Sunday as a number of domestic airlines cancelled their evening flights out of Lagos, while others simply rescheduled them.

Among the airlines that cancelled their flights were Aero Contractors, Medview and First Nation, while Dana Air rescheduled it flights out of Lagos.

As a result, many passengers, who were due to travel from the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2, had their plans disrupted.

Stakeholders in the industry had recently estimated that the scarcity of aviation fuel had led to 50 per cent reduction of the carrying capacities of the local airlines.

An intending passenger, who was scheduled to fly into Abuja, explained that while some passengers made frantic efforts to make alternative flight arrangements, several others whose flights were cancelled left the airport in disappointment.

According to the passenger who was due to fly Dana Air’s flight 9J 359 from Lagos to Abuja, the 5.10pm flight was cancelled with the passengers dispersing in disappointment.

However, he later received a message from the airline’s customer service team at about 5.50pm, informing him that the flight had been rescheduled for 18.30 hours.

Credit: Punch

Fuel Scarcity Ends Next Week– FG

Posted on April 21, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Federal government has disclosed that the lingering fuel crisis which has crippled socio-economic activities in the country will end next week.

Speaking to State House Correspondents after the Federal Executive Council Meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu,ssaid that the queues were expected to completely disappear by the end of next week.

According to the Minister, Kachikwu the scarcity was as a result of sabotage,while thanking Nigerians for their patience so far.
Kachikwu also said the NNPC is delivering about 1,200 trucks daily and by next week hopefully every part of the country will get fuel.

His words “The queues are as a result of sabotage. Some people rather than sell products send them into interlands where they can sell at ridiculous prices and so you are having this price distortions where people are making a lot of money, some are internal and some are external but a lot of it is marketers trying to make quick returns on their investments wrongly.

“We have asked DPR to deploy officials to ensure products are sold at the right because is only through price stabilization that these system queues will disappear.

He added that“As at today we are delivering about 1,200 trucks, by weekend we should be delivering same number of trucks, it will take a bit of days to even out but you can see improvement already. I hope by the end of next week with the refineries helping us to stay on course, every part of the country will get fuels.

“We thank President, NNPC staff and ministries who work night and day to enforce discipline.

“We thank Nigerians for their unbelievable level of patience, we are solving problem we met on ground and trying to find long term solution to it and urge Nigerians to report sabotage, where people are selling product on higher price because we all need to work collectively to make this thing go for good”.

Credit: Leadership

Airlines May Ground Flights As Fuel Scarcity Bites Harder- Report

Posted on April 18, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Airline operators have urged passengers to expect more delays or cancelled flights as the scarcity of aviation fuel, known as Jet A1, bites harder, adding that scheduled operations may stop altogether, unless more fuel is delivered in the next few days.

Since last week, domestic airlines have faced severe challenges sourcing aviation fuel for their scheduled flights.

It was gathered yesterday that Total, a major supplier of the product, imported two ships of aviation fuel, but was directed to wait until the ships with petrol were discharged. The consequence is that the scarcity of aviation fuel would linger for some time.

In response to the scarcity, foreign airlines have devised means of fuelling their aircraft outside Nigeria and only top up on arrival in the country.

It was learnt that as a result of this, many passengers might not be accompanied on their flights by their luggage, as the foreign airlines are forced to drop the luggage in order to carry more fuel, much to yhe displeasure of passengers when they arrive their destinations.

“BA takes fuel from London and sometimes they stop in Malta so to avoid refuelling in Nigeria, even though they have a supply contract.

“The other day, Air France came to Abuja and met with Total. They normally take about 60,000 litres, but they asked for 20,000 litres, which is like a top up. That is what most foreign airlines are doing now,” an inside source said.

Another challenge the airlines are facing is the delay in trucking the product from Apapa, which could last for hours and when it arrives the airport, airlines would wait for another two hours for the product to settle so that contaminants would not get into the aircraft tanks.

Credit: Thisday

End Of Fuel Scarcity In Sight, As Cargo Vessels Arrive Lagos

Posted on April 7, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Products Petroleum and Marketing Company (PPMC) has re-assured Nigerians that the fuel scarcity will strategically come to an end soon in Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna and other cities in the country.

Speaking at a meeting with major oil marketers in Lagos, the Executive Director, Supply and Distribution, PPMC, Mr Justin Ezeale, said the development became necessary in order to solve the problems in badly affected areas in the country.

He said the government was aware of the problems arising from distribution of fuel in the country, hence its decision to employ proactive measures on the issue.

He disclosed that seven cargoes of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) arrived the country for onward distribution to various parts of the country.

He said 294 trucks of fuel was distributed in Lagos on Tuesday, while another 336 trucks of fuel would be supply Wednesday, adding that Abuja has gotten its own supplies as well.

According to him, The Federal Government has embarked on massive importation of fuel in order to end the lingering fuel scarcity. As at today, seven cargoes of fuel has arrived the country for distribution to major cities like Lagos, Abuja, and others. We have taking into cognizance that the country consumes 40milliion litres of fuel daily, and we would ensure that fuel supply goes round the country.

‘’ PPMC meets with major marketers and representatives of the Federal Government every day since the fuel crisis started few weeks ago. The government is feeling the pains going through by Nigerians, hence the decision to meet regularly with stakeholders in the value chain in order to strategies on the issue of ending the fuel problems,’’ he said.

Speaking further, he said the government is engaging the services of members of Nigerian and Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC) to monitor the supply of fuel from depots to the filing stations, stressing that the decision was borne out of the need to stop diversion of petroleum products in Nigeria.

Ezeale said the police has been helpful in this regard, stressing that members of civil defence corps were drafted into the issue to compliment the efforts of the police.

Credit: Leadership

Fuel Scarcity: El-Rufai Directs Security Agents To Arrest Petrol Hawkers

Posted on April 5, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State on Tuesday directed security men to enforce the ban on the hawking of petroleum products in the state as part of efforts to contain the scarcity of the products.

The directive was contained in a statement issued in Kaduna by Mr Samuel Aruwan, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity. According to the statement, filling stations across the state would no longer dispense the products in Jerry cans and related containers. The statement said that the ban was part of the decisions taken during Tuesday’s state Security Council meeting. It said that security agencies had been directed to enforce the ban in accordance with the Kaduna State Petroleum Products (Anti-Hoarding and Adulteration) Law of 1992.

The statement said that the ban prohibited sales of petroleum products in Jerry cans throughout the 23 local government areas of the state by hawkers. “This law empowers the task force to ensure that petroleum product were sold in a safe manner, with stiff penalty on violators.

“Council based its decision on legal and security considerations, compounded by the environmental hazard petroleum products in Jerry cans can cause,” it stated. The government also advised the public to help uphold and enforce the ban to ensure that fuel was only dispensed at filling stations.

Credit: Vanguard

Independent Marketers Accept Blame For Fuel Scarcity

Posted on April 5, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has exonerated the federal government of any blames associated with the current lingering fuel shortages across the country, clarifying that Nigerians should rather blame the prolonged leadership crisis that had rocked the association as the cause of the crises.

The association also said the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, should not be held responsible for petrol scarcity as their nearly two years of fighting over leadership positions in the association had contributed maximally in the current petroleum product scarcity.

According to the Interim Management Secretary of IPMAN, Mr. Lawson Ngoa, the rivalry between two IPMAN national factions has crippled the importation and distribution of petroleum products in Nigeria especially by independent marketers who control about 80 per cent of the fuel distribution network.

Ngoa explained in Abuja that Kachikwu had only intervened to end the crisis in his resolve to end the current fuel scarcity and could not be blamed for it.

He noted Kachikwu in trying to reconcile the factions and revive sanity in their operations, inaugurated IPMAN reconciliation and interim management committee to resolve the crisis and how it contributes to scarcity of petroleum products.

While shielding Kachikwu from the blame, Ngoa stated in a statement that the minister is completely innocent of the petroleum products scarcity as he inherited a crises ridden petroleum sector.

He further stated that IPMAN accepts all responsibility for the difficulties suffered by Nigerians while agreeing that IPMAN is now ready to commence distribution of products following the reconciliation brokered by Kachikwu.
“With the increase in percentage of product to IPMAN and other incentives made available by the federal government through the minister of petroleum, the fuel scarcity will end in weeks,” said Ngoa.

Credit: Thisday

Hold PDP Responsible For Continuous Fuel Scarcity – Tinubu Tells Nigerians

Posted on April 4, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Following the lingering fuel scarcity that has continued to ravage the nation, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has asked Nigerians to hold the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, responsible.

Tinubu while addressing newsmen in Lagos at the weekend said PDP destroyed Nigeria during its 16-year rule by refusing to pursue what was necessary for the growth and development of the country.

He said, “We want to stay focused and redirect Nigeria. We want to reverse the decay of 16 years. We are hearing comments from the PDP left and right. We are saying we want to clear the mess they created. For 16 good years, the PDP destroyed the country. We should not be lamenting over petrol queues today if they had seen what was necessary and done what was necessary for this country.
“We can’t be emotional and live in self-denial. They should have done the Awolowo Road and the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway. If they put priority on our railroad, if they put priority on electricity generation and distribution, we will not be in this mess today.”

The former Lagos State Governor, who also dismissed the claim that Nigerians were dissatisfied with the current APC-led Federal Government, noted that people only wanted to see the direction of the government’s economic policy.

“Nigerians are not impatient with the APC government; they just want to see the direction of the economic policy and want to be certain of the future. They want to be assured that we will not continue the leaderless, directionless and hopelessness of the past 16 years.

“The fact is that Nigerians do not want the importation of toothpicks to continue, we can make toothpicks out of our bamboo trees. Nigeria does not want to import rice or plastic. Nigeria does not want to continue in the direction of the past 16 years. What did they leave behind in our account?

Why should certain things that we bring into this country become our priority? Why do we have to import those things that we can produce? The country needs surgical operation in the hands of a very honest Nigerian,” Tinubu said.

Credit : Daily Post

FG Deliberately Creating Artificial Fuel Scarcity- NLC

Posted on March 30, 2016 by Staff Reporter

As fuel scarcity bites harder across the country, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday said the current scarcity was deliberate to create different options such as privatization and promote the interests of the business community.

It accused the federal government of using the backdoor to create artificial scarcity in order to throw up options that fit into its planned privatization strategy, a move the NLC said was not in the best interest of Nigerians.

NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, in an exclusive interview explained that the on-going fuel scarcity is a big disappointment and shame to the government, and failure on its earlier promises.

Wabba said: “It is deliberate to create scarcity, the present situation has remained. This particular scarcity is deliberate; government has no taken a proactive action to stop scarcity, so it’s deliberate. They have not done enough to prevent this scarcity.”

I Won’t Resign – Kachikwu

Posted on March 30, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr Ibe Kachikwu, said on Tuesday in Abuja that he would not resign as he still had a lot of work to do.

The minister said this as part of his closing remarks while briefing the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Upstream) on the lingering scarcity of petroleum products across the country.

Different groups including the South South APC, NANS and some Civil Society Organisations have called for the minister’s resignation.

Kachikwu said: “All those planning to come to Abuja for a protest should save their fuel, I am not going to resign, I have a lot of work to do.’’

According to him, he did not accept to be minister of petroleum in order to create scarcity.

The minister assured that he would work hard to find lasting solutions to the problems in the industry.

Kachikwu said that he was pained as much as many Nigerians were that the country still suffered petroleum scarcity in spite of being one of the largest producers of crude oil in the world.

(NAN)

When Fuel Scarcity Will End, Kachikwu Gives Date

Posted on March 29, 2016 by Staff Reporter

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Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, appeared before the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources ( Downstream ) on Tuesday, to explain reasons for the acute fuel scarcity across the country and the efforts being made by his ministry to resolve the embarrassing phenomenon.

He lamented the situation and apologised to Nigerians who are really going through difficult situation and promised that the scarcity will end on or before the 7th of April.

He said, “I share the pains of Nigerians. I feel that pain everyday. Those who are following my trajectories since I resumed office would see that even on the Christmas day, I was at the refineries. On the Easter day, I was in Lagos, monitoring fuel distribution at the depots.

“I have given 24/7 attention to the problem in this industry which were unbelievable. I have continued to work with one sole purpose in mind, which is that every problem will have a solution.

“I do apologise if a comment I made jocularly with my friends in the press about being a magician offends some Nigerians, it wasn’t meant to be. I did go ahead to explain what needed to be done. I didn’t intend to create this kind of hyperbole that it did.

“Let me admit that I am not a typically experienced politician. I am a technocrat, Some of the phraseologies that I may use while being acceptable in the arena in which I play, obviously will not be acceptable in the public political arena. If anybody’s sensitivities were offended by that, I totally apologise, I am a very humble person even imagining the thought that I dictate to Nigerians. I am not somebody like that.”

Kachikwu attributed the current fuel scarcity to lack of importation by the major oil marketers; diversion of the products by marketers; pipeline vandalism; panic buying and non computerisation of distribution network to monitor trucks.

He lamented that since the payment of N600bn arrears of unpaid subsidy which the current administration inherited from the Former President Goodluck Jonathan administration, which ended the subsidy regime, oil marketers had stopped fuel importation.

The development, he said, had forced the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, to overstretched its capacity, human resources and facilities to bridge the gap but it is obvious that it lacked the immediate capacity to handle.

Credit: Punch

How We Are Going To End Fuel Scarcity- NNPC

Posted on March 29, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC) has reassured Nigerians of its commitment to end the persistent fuel scarcity in the country.

This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Garba Deen Muhammed , Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, on Monday in Abuja.

“We wish to re-assure Nigerians that we are on top of the petroleum products supply and distribution situation and we remain committed to eliminating this endemic issue once and for all within the next few days.

“We genuinely empathize with the attendant sufferings and wish to reassure that we are focused and committed to bring an end to this situation within the next few days.

“We kindly call on all Nigerians to partner with us on this journey to allowing the whole process of change come into fruition,” it said.

It said the current administration inherited a huge catalog of issues and problems in the downstream sector not limited to arrears of subsidy payments to Oil Marketers.

Other issues, it said, included corruption and inefficiencies in the supply and distribution chain, incessant vandalism of pipelines and poor performance of refineries, among others.

It noted that a combination of these issues resulted in most oil majors completely pulling out from the importation business .

This, it said, led to NNPC assuming a near 100 per cent importation obligation without the necessary logistics put in place.

It said the NNPC Management had initiated and made progress on various key solutions to providing a lasting end to these issues.

It added that with the firm support of President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly, the debt burden had been reduced since Jan. 1.

“We have been able to eliminate subsidy payments by managing prices at current levels through price modulation.

This has resulted to savings of over N100 billion monthly for the nation.

“Nationwide Petroleum supply and distribution have been ramped up to all states to ensure product availability in the country,” it said .
According to the statement, the current supply to states is in excess of the normal consumption especially in the five major consuming cities.

It added that monitoring had been intensified to ensure full compliance with approved prices adding that violations of approved prices and hoarding of petroleum products attracted penalties.

The penalties include giving out of petroleum products free to the public and sealing off fuel stations found to be hoarding petroleum products and payment of a fine.

Others were withdrawal of Marketer’s Licence and penalising any NNPC, DPR, PPPRA or government agent found conniving and wanting in line with public service guidelines and procedures.

It encouraged the general public to report product hoarders and saboteurs of the change efforts .

“We encourage everyone to shun panic buying and undue return trips as this attitude emboldens marketers to hoard products.

“Supply constraints due to foreign exchange challenges are being resolved through collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria on innovative ways of closing the gaps in accessing foreign exchange,” it said.

The statement noted that the major international upstream oil companies had indicated their willingness to support major oil marketing companies with some of the required foreign exchange.

It added that corporation was pursuing an improved model for ‘crude oil for refined product’ exchange (the Direct Sale – Direct Purchase arrangement).

This, it said had eliminated inefficiencies with an attendant cost saving for the nation of about one billion dollars.

It said that the corporation in the medium term was working on sustainable strategies to permanently address the issues and challenges facing the midstream and downstream sectors.

“The overarching objective is to make Nigeria a net exporter of petroleum products as was the case in the 1970’s.

“Our commitment to ramp up our local refining capacity and availability remains unwavered with the ongoing rehabilitation works targeted at running all refineries at a minimum 70 per cent capacity utilisation within the next six to eight months.

“This is in addition to our initiative of increasing the combined capacity of the domestic refineries through co-locating smaller but cost efficient modular refineries within the existing refineries premises within a time frame of 12 to 24 months,” it stated .

It added that NNPC had secured presidential approval to take additional crude oil volume to guarantee national supply of petrol.

To curb storage and logistics challenges, it said, the corporation was working on a joint partnership with technically and financially capable investors.

It said this would help to ensure that petroleum products transportation and storage facilities were efficiently operated on an open-access common-carrier user-tariff basis.

It added that some of these depots would be nominated as strategic reserves while the NNPC would take possession of a strategic reserve vessel in the next three months.

It expressed the hope that tangible results would be delivered within the next three to six months.

Credit: Guardian

Nigerians Should Please Bear With Us On Fuel Scarcity– Kachikwu

Posted on March 24, 2016 by Staff Reporter

At a time Nigerians are expecting respite from the pangs of the lingering fuel scarcity in the country, Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, has dashed their hopes, stating that the current queues at gas stations would persist till late May. The minister, who doubles as Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, added that he was not a magician to make the queues disappear overnight.

According to him, it is even a “magic” that the stations are still getting volume of products they dispense to the public, judging from the prevailing circumstances at NNPC. The minister also revealed that NNPC’s import rates had moved form 50 per cent to all-time rate of 100 percent, saying the 445,000 barrels allocated to crude swap now service 50 to 55 per cent importation of refined product. But giving a glimmer of hope on how to achieve lasting solution to the product scarcity, Kachikwu said government was working to beef up the reserves.

He stated that when the refineries come on full stream, locally refined products would be left unsold in the reservoir to boost supply and availability of the products. The minister was fielded questions from State House correspondents after leading officials of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas, NUPENG, and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, to a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja,yesterday.

Kachikwu He said: “One of the trainings I did not receive is that of a magician but I am working very hard to ensure some of these issues go away. And let’s be honest, for the five, six months, we have been here, NNPC has moved from a 50 percent importer of products to basically a 100 percent importer. And the 445,000 barrels that were allocated was to cover between 50 and 55 percent importation.

“So, it is quite frankly sheer magic that we even have some amount of products at the stations. We are looking to see how to get foreign exchange input. The President and I discussed extensively on how to get more crude directed at importation.

“His excellency will rather have less crude but have individuals in the society suffer less with inconveniences than have more crude and have them continue to suffer.

“So, we are going to put a new model to enable us increase the pace and actually get majors as part of the crew of those to bring in more products, so that the NNPC will sort of go back on the capacity of what it used to do and the majors will take over the balance of importation.

“I think if we do that, although I don’t want to put a time frame, but I will expect that over the next two months. Of course, you are aware the SAP programme begins in April. So, over the next two months, we should see quite frankly a complete elimination of this.

“Our strategy is that whatever is produced in the refineries will not go for sale. We are going to keep them in strategic reserve because the key problem here is that there is no reserve. Any time there is gap in supply, it goes off.

“So we are going to dedicate the next couple of months to moving all the products that we produce to strategic reserve so that we can pile up reserves in the nation and that will push up the reserves in the nation.

‘’Believe me, this is giving me and my team sleepless nights and we are working on it and we are committed to making this go away. Nigerians should please bear with us.”

Credit: Vanguard

Why Fuel Scarcity May Persist- NUPENG

Posted on March 16, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has said that the ongoing fuel scarcity in the country may persist until the Federal Government takes effective action on petroleum products availability.

The declaration comes even as independent oil marketers and other private petroleum products operators insist that the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, is running a monopolistic system.

President of NUPENG, Comrade Igwe Achese, said “Clearly from the perspective of our own study, in as much we are concerned with the current situation we find ourselves, scarcity will continue. However, like we rightly said, if Federal Government is having a political will to address these issues, definitely, we will get out of this quagmire. For now, I’m sure we will still continue to find ourselves in where we are.

“NNPC, through its Products and Pipeline Marketing Company, PPMC, subsidiary is trying everything possible to see that this scarcity issue is resolved, but it also requires the commitment of all stakeholders.”

Regarding the loading of products at the depots of PPMC and other marketers, he argued that, “It is not an issue of Capital Oil, or Mosimi, it is an issue of the process. We need to change our approach, we need to change our structure in terms of the way and manner we carry out these operations.”

Credit: Vanguard

?PPMC Adopts Measures To End Fuel Scarcity

Posted on March 4, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Mrs Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue, the Managing Director, Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) said measures were being taken to ensure end to fuel scarcity across the country.
Nnamdi- Ogbue made this known while addressing newsmen on Thursday in Abuja.

“Right now, we have about eight vessels coming in, each of which ranges between 30,000 to 40,000 metric tonnes capacity, and these should be more than enough to ensure sufficiency.
” On Wednesday alone, over one thousand trucks were loaded and trucked out by the majors marketers and PPMC, ” she said.

According to her, about 400 intervention trucks are being used to service marketers.
This, she said, was to ensure fuel supply in their filling stations, especially in Abuja and Lagos, where they consume about 60 per cent of daily national consumption figures.
Nnamdi-ogbue further noted that there were people trucking out fuel from Port Harcourt, Warri, Ogarra, Calabar as alternative sources for Lagos.
She assured that all efforts were being made to ensure that by weekend, all these problems of scarcity would be a thing of the past.
“We share in the pains of all motorists, all Nigerians,” she said.
Nnamdi-Ogbue said efforts were being intensified to break the strong hold of corruption and all those engaged in sharp practices.
“Right now, more than 300 trucks should be arriving Abuja and we are tracking them to ensure that they duly arrive here.
“We have our staff all over, monitoring to make sure that the volumes brought in are actually discharged,” she said.
She noted that in most of the major or strategic stations, products were sold twenty-four hours, adding that this will help to bring about normalcy in the system.

(NAN)

Buhari Apologizes To Nigerians Over Fuel Scarcity, Says Pump Price To Remain At N87

Posted on December 22, 2015 by Staff Reporter

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday apologised to Nigerians over the continued fuel scarcity being experienced across the country, blaming the long queues that have returned to fuel stations on the activities of speculators and those resistant to change.

Buhari further promised Nigerians that there would be no increase in the pump price of petrol.

He made the pledge following fears by Nigerians that the Federal Government may scrap fuel subsidy which will result in an increase in the cost of the premium motor spirit, popularly called petrol.
Buhari, while addressing a joint session of the National Assembly during the presentation of the 2016 budget of N6.08 trillion, said the pump price of petrol will remain at N87 “for now”.

“Indeed tough decisions must be made but this does not mean that we would increase the level of pains being felt by Nigerians,” he added.

Credit : Daily Post

Fuel Scarcity: 567 Truckloads Of Fuel Dispatched Nationwide – NNPC

Posted on December 22, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has deployed about 200 truckloads of fuel to Abuja to help reduce the ongoing fuel scarcity and ease Yuletide celebration.

This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Ohi Alegbe, Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, on Monday in Abuja.

“In continuation of the special intervention fuel supply for the Yuletide season, another 567 trucks have been dispatched nationwide today,” it said.

It further stated that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, had directed the deployment of NNPC staff to filling stations across the country for effective monitoring of the distribution system.

This, it said, was to ensure the total eradication of queues from fuel stations across the country.

The statement said the minister, at an emergency meeting with senior staff of the corporation, said there were a number of challenges in the supply and distribution system that hampered efficient distribution of products.

According to him, it is time for NNPC to rise above the challenges by ensuring that the special intervention supplies are not diverted or hoarded.

“This calls for effective monitoring of the supply system, especially at the end points, to ascertain that what is trucked out from the depots is delivered at the designated fuel stations and dispensed to the public in the most efficient manner.

” We need you to be out there to help achieve this; we can’t be at ease while Nigerians are going through so much pain to get fuel,” Kachikwu stated.

He challenged the staff to volunteer for the monitoring, adding that standing up to provide creative solutions to challenges was what the new NNPC was all about.

The minister urged the staff to work towards achieving zero-queues at their various stations as soon as possible, adding that they should be ready to sacrifice their Christmas break if need be.

Also, the Group Executive Director, Commercial and Investment, Dr Victor Adeniran, called on staff on monitoring duties to work closely with the Rapid Response Team.

He urged them to report any situation that needed urgent intervention such as low stock, delayed arrival of trucks or any underhand dealing.

He added that the Rapid Response Team comprised Pipe lines Product Marketing Company staff and representatives of law enforcement agencies that could adequately handle any challenge.

He called on the staff to be vigilant and ensure that all the petrol designated for their various stations was delivered and dispensed to members of the public in a most efficient manner.

(NAN)

Fuel Scarcity Bites Harder Despite N407bn Subsidy Payment

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Fuel queues continue to mount in many parts of the country despite the recent payment of N407 billion subsidy claims to marketers.

The queues are worsening in Abuja, Kano and many states, both in the north and south of the country.
Nigerians intending to travel home for the Christmas and New Year celebrations have started to voice concerns about the lingering fuel shortages.

In states like Kaduna, Kebbi, Sokoto, Nasarawa, River, Enugu and Niger, petrol is sold above the government regulated price of N87 per litre.

The federal government had last week released N407 billion as subsidy to oil marketers. Before the payment, the marketers attributed the scarcity to non-release of the fund but there has been no respite for motorists as the long queues continue in most filling stations, indicating that Nigerians may spend the Christmas searching for petrol.

In Abuja, there were long queues of vehicles yesterday at the Conoil and Total filling stations opposite the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) headquarters at the Central Area, leading to obstruction of traffic. Similar scenes were observed at all other fuel stations that dispensed the product within Abuja city centre and suburbs.

Fuel Scarcity Will Be Over In Days– Minister

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, has assured Nigerians that the current fuel scarcity would be over in a matter of days.

The minister gave the hint on Wednesday in a statement signed by his spokesman, Segun Adeyemi, following the approval of a supplementary budget that made provision for the subsidy payment by the National Assembly (NASS).

He said: “We can confidently announce here today that the scarcity will end in a few days. Subsidy payment till the end of the year has been approved by the National Assembly, and as you know, we cannot spend money without approval,” the Minister said in Abuja.

Credit: ChannelsTV

DAPPMA Depots Begin Massive Loading Of Petroleum Products

Posted on December 1, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMA) said its members had begun massive loading of petroleum products to ease the effect of their scarcity in the country.

Mr Olufemi Adewole, the Executive Secretary of the association, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the loading was going on in Lagos, Oghara, Warri, Calabar and Port Harcourt where the members had depots.

Adewole said that the marketers were doing this, hoping that the payment of outstanding subsidy debts owed since Aug. 2014 would be passed by the National Assembly (NASS).

“DAPPMA member depots that have petroleum stock are loading massively in Lagos, Koko, Oghara, Warri, Calabar and Port Harcourt.

“While awaiting the payment of outstanding subsidy debts owed since Aug. 2014, DAPPMA members have been speaking to their banks for loan facilities.

“While some have obliged and opened fresh loans to import Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), some banks claimed their external lines are fully utilised.

“All the same, we are hoping for a speedy passage of the supplementary budget and payment to marketers.

“We expect the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to make adequate provision of foreign exchange to enable us pay off our foreign suppliers,’’ he said.

On the allegations that private depots were loading above government price, Adewole said DAPPMA members were complying with PPPRA specified ex-depot price.

NAN correspondent who monitored filling stations reported that most of independent marketers were selling between N120 and N130 per litre.

Meanwhile, few major marketers that sold the products at government controlled price witnessed long queues of motorists.

(NAN)

Fuel Scarcity: Imo Lawmakers Set Up Taskforce To Check Marketers

Posted on November 27, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Imo State House of Assembly has set up a joint taskforce to monitor independent oil marketers and ensure that they stop taking undue advantage of the present fuel scarcity.

While the fuel scarcity persisted, the lawmakers said it was concerned about the groaning agony faced by Imo citizens in getting fuel, as oil marketers had exploited the masses.

The taskforce is made up of some lawmakers, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Independent Petroleum Marketers, and Ministry of Petroleum in the state.

They were also mandated to see how the fuel crisis in the state could be alleviated.

At a meeting with all stakeholders in the oil sector held at the Imo state House of Assembly in Owerri, the Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum in the Imo State House of Assembly, Henry Ezediaro, expressed displeasure with the sharp practices by independent oil marketers.

The meeting pointed out that oil marketers were selling petrol at 200 Naira and above which is far above the Federal Government’s approved price of 87 Naira.

Credit: ChannelsTV

Those Behind Fuel Scarcity, NNPC Points Finger

Posted on November 27, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, yesterday blamed the persistent fuel crisis on the continuous vandalisation of the System 2B pipeline at Arepo, sharp practices by oil marketers and the delay in the payment of outstanding subsidy claims to the marketers.

The NNPC in a statement in Abuja, after honouring the invitation of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Downstream, also stated that the Senate had given it a two-week ultimatum to end the fuel scarcity.

In a presentation to the Senate Committee, Managing Director of the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company, PPMC, a subsidiary of the NNPC, Mrs. Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue, stated that Nigeria has lost a total of 531 million litres of petrol valued at over N50 billion to pipeline vandals between January and September, 2015, at the problematic System 2B Pipeline network which stretches from the Atlas Cove in Lagos to Ilorin.

Nnamdi-Ogbue explained that the losses, which chiefly accrued from the incessant hacking of the pipeline at the notorious Arepo to Mosimi axis of the pipeline artery, have made the task of providing seamless flow of petroleum products to retail outlets more burdensome.

Credit: Vanguard

Senate Gives Ministry, Others 2 Weeks To End Fuel Scarcity

Posted on November 27, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Senate on Thursday gave the Ministry of Petroleum and all relevant agencies two weeks to end the scarcity of petroleum products and price discrepancies nationwide.

The assembly also directed the permanent secretary of the ministry to do everything within the jurisdiction of the organisation to ensure that products were available at government approved prices.

The Committee on Petroleum Downstream, headed by Sen. Uche Ekwunife (PDP-Anambra Central) gave the directive when officials of the ministry and other agencies came to explain the cause of the scarcity.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Senate at Tuesday’s plenary mandated the committee to investigate the cause of the scarcity and proffer solutions to the problems.

The directive followed a motion brought by Sen. Barau Jibrin (APC- Kano North) and co-sponsored by 23 others.

The agencies that came were Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Pipeline Products and Marketing Company (PPMC), Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, among others.

Issuing the directive, Ekwunife said that what Nigerians needed was to see an end to the problem and not to listen to stories from stakeholders.

“Nigerians want to see the immediate end to this fuel scarcity and also the uniformity of the price of the product across the country.

“As a committee, our target is that scarcity and discrepancies in price must stop and it must be done.

“Therefore, we are mandating the minister, the permanent secretary and other relevant agencies in the sector, that fuel scarcity must stop in the next two weeks.

“Petrol must be sold at the uniform price of N87 per litre everywhere in the country,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the PPMC, Mrs Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue, told the committee that the major problem facing fuel distribution in the country was vandalism of the oil pipelines.

She said Nigeria had lost some 531 million litres of petrol, valued at N50 billion to the activities of vandals, between January and September.

Nnamdi-Ogbue also blamed sharp practices at the petroleum depots, illegal charges and diversion of fuel by marketers, as some of the factors that provoked the scarcity and price discrepancies.

She said such unwholesome practices amounted to economic sabotage.

She said that PPMC had gone into collaboration with security agencies to tackle sabotage in the sector.

(NAN)

Senate Committee Gives Petroleum Minister Two Weeks To End Fuel Scarcity

Posted on November 26, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Senate Committee on Petroleum Downstream has given the Minister of State for Petroleum and the NNPC two weeks to end petrol scarcity in the country.

The committee handed down this directive at a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Petroleum, NNPC and agencies in the petroleum sector.

For nearly three weeks, there have been long queues at different petrol stations across the country; a situation that has defied solutions by previous administrations and has again reared its head a few months into the present government.

The heads of the agencies explained the reason for the problem in the petroleum downstream sector which they say have made petrol scarcity a recurring problem in the country.

Credit: ChannelsTV

AWOOF: Motorists Get Free Fuel In Kaduna

Posted on November 25, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), has dispensed fuel to motorists and motorcyclists for free in a filling station in Kaduna State.

The station, Samrada Nigeria Limited, located at Romi Junction in the state capital, was said to have a total of 19, 500 litres of fuel which it was hoarding.

The agency, led by the Zonal Controller, Usman Ndanusa, during its routine inspection of petrol stations across the state, discovered that the petrol station was also selling above the Federal Government’s approved price of 87 Naira per litre, only at night.

The Manager of the filling station however complained of not getting the product from the depot at government approved price, hence they have to adjust their retail prices.

The DPR officials also ordered another filling station along Romi Road to reverse to the 87 Naira pump price per litre, as against the 135 Naira it was selling. The owner of the filling station was fined the sum of 100,000 Naira for selling above the approved pump price.

The controller explained that the punitive measure would serve as deterrent to other hoarders. He said the agency was poised to ensure that the commodity was properly distributed among commuters.

Credit: ChannelsTV

APC Senators Frustrate Move To Summon Buhari Over Fuel Scarcity

Posted on November 25, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Efforts by senators of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to convince the Senate to summon President Muhammadu Buhari to give reasons for the ongoing fuel scarcity in the country, were frustrated, yesterday, by their counterparts in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

The PDP senators, who berated the President’s handling of current economic situation in the country, insisted that he be made to a appear before the Senate to give explanations on the cause of the fuel scarcity and how he intended to solve the issue as Minister of Petroleum.

Their frustrated efforts came following a motion, tagged: “The current fuel scarcity all around the country and the need to urgently resolve the crisis,” sponsored by Senator Jibrin Barau, APC, Kano North and 23 other senators, which was debated upon.

Speaking through Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, PDP, Abia South, the opposition senators accused the President of mismanaging the country’s oil sector, causing untold hardship for Nigerians, barely six months after being in the saddle as president.

But the Senate, in a reaction to the development, said the President could not be summoned even as Minister of Petroleum.

The red chamber, reacting through its chairman on Media and Publicity, Aliyu Sabi, insisted that the fact that the President was overseeing the Petroleum ministry as a substantive minister, did not make him to be easily summoned like other ministers.

Abaribe had, while contributing to the motion, urged the Senate to summon President Buhari to explain why the Federal Government was yet to find solutions to the continued fuel problem in spite of its claim that the refineries in the country were working.

He said the unnecessary hardship occasioned by the scarcity could only be resolved if lawmakers were adequately briefed on the true state of affairs. Senator Abaribe‘s submission received wide support from other PDP senators, as they all hailed him.

Senator Abaribe supported his call with a prayer for adoption but it was defeated when the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, put it up for a voice vote.

At this point, the APC Senators, who were more in number, defeated their PDP colleagues with overwhelming shout of “yes” against the PDP’s “nay.”

Credit: Vanguard

DPR Supplies 294 Trucks Of PMS In Abuja

Posted on November 18, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) said that 149 trucks loaded with petrol were supplied to Abuja and its environs on Tuesday.

Mr Mohammed Saidu, Head, Public Relations of DPR in a statement in Abuja, said that the supply brought the number of PMS supplied to Abuja between Monday and Tuesday to 294 trucks.

Saidu said the measure was to ease off fuel queues at filling stations in the city.

He added that 145 trucks wereearlier supplied on Monday.

Giving the breakdown of the PMS supplied on Tuesday, he explained that 99 trucks were supplied to Abuja city with Forte oil receiving four trucks, while Conoil received 10.

According to him, Mobil has eight trucks, as MRS gets seven, while Nipco and Oando have six and 11 trucks respectively.

He stated that Total plc received 14 trucks, while NNPC retail was allocated 34 as IPMAN had five.

He said that 50 trucks were dispersed to immediate and extended environment of the capital city.

It will be recalled that the DPR Director, Mordecai Ladan, had earlier warned petroleum products marketers against engaging in sharp practices.

He said any station caught would face sanctions,including N2 million fine and licence revocation.

(NAN)

NNPC Begins 24 Hour Fuel Supply To Curb Scarcity

Posted on November 13, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation said it has begun a 24 hour fuel supply in its depots nationwide to battle the current scarcity, nationwide.

The Corporation’s Executive Director, Commercial of the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC), a downstream subsidiary of the NNPC, Mr. Justin Ezeala said it has adopted extended hours of operations where for security reasons or locations it is not feasible to operate 24 hours.

He said: “We are going to start from about 5am and sell till about 9/10pm.”

Close to 50 trucks loaded with PMS were dispatched today to various filling stations in the FCT.

He advised Nigerian against panic buying or hoarding of product because there is enough Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) or petrol to last the country for the next 35 days.

“We currently have within our depot 66m litres of PMS, we have our partner depot which is the private depot 118m litres of PMS, marine stock 428m litres and then the major marketers have about 44m litres. These gives us a total of 657m litres and based on our daily consumption estimate of 40m litres we are looking at about 16-and-half days sufficiency”.

Credit : PM News

Man Strips Naked Over Fuel Frustration (SEE PHOTO)

Posted on May 27, 2015 by Staff Reporter

As fuel scarcity bites harder, people have devised different means of expressing their grievances. The latest is an unidentified man who went naked in a bid to register his displeasure over the continued hardship been faced by Nigerians.

The unidentified man was seen naked protesting at Petrocam filling station in Igando area of Lagos State over his inability to purchase fuel. See photo:

Oil Marketers Agree To Begin Lifting Petroleum Products In The Next Six Hours

Posted on May 25, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Reprieve may have finally come the way of Nigerians after two months of agony.

The Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) who have held the nation hostage and forced businesses to shut down, agreed to begin lifting petroleum products in the next six hours in the wake of a meeting with the Senate committee and government representatives.

The Senate had last week summoned Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and her Petroleum Resources counterpart, Diezani Alison-Madueke to appear before it today to explain why the energy crisis has lingered on for weeks on end.

The marketers have been holding on for outstanding subsidy payments and have bickered with the federal government over payment timelines and owed figures.

Chairman Senate committee on petroleum resources, Magnus Abe said a resolution was reached following a meeting of MOMAN and the committee with? Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Joseph Dawha who is the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and major stakeholders in the oil and gas sector.

Word also reaching us has it that the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), who downed tools last week following the concession of an oil bloc to an indigent firm by the government, have suspended their industrial action.

PENGASSAN and NUPENG shutdown had affected Nigeria’s power generation and distribution capacities; plummeting supply from the grid to as low as 900mw by Monday morning.

Credit – ekeekeee.com

Fuel Scarcity: Jenifa Mounts Bicycle To Church (See Photos)

Posted on May 25, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Nollywood actress, Funke Akindele, popularly known as Jenifa, shares her encounter as regards the general fuel scarcity in the country.

Funke wrote on Instagram“Thank God for my bicycle! wonder how I would have gotten to church today.”

Ben Bruce Offers Solution To Fuel Scarcity

Posted on May 25, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Once again Ben Bruce is a trending topic across social media as he has offered a solution to the current fuel scarcity in the country.

“My electric car is charged by solar. The sun is my energy. That’s why I introduced it in Nigeria. With it, I’m not blackmailed by marketers!” he tweeted.

NNPC should do the job they contract to marketers. If marketers can import, so can NNPC. Nigeria doesn’t need marketers, they need Nigeria!” he added.

My electric car is charged by solar. The sun is my energy. That's why I introduced it in Nigeria. With it, I'm not blackmailed by marketers!

— Ben Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce) May 24, 2015

NNPC should do the job they contract to marketers. If marketers can import, so can NNPC. Nigeria doesn't need marketers, they need Nigeria!

— Ben Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce) May 24, 2015

Fuel Scarcity: GTB Closes Branches Nationwide

Posted on May 25, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) announced it was closing all its branches nationwide due to the worsening scarcity of fuel scarcity in the country.

Customers have already been notified. “The current shortage of petroleum products in the country has limited our ability to supply diesel to all our branches, in order to continue normal branch operations. Due to this, we unavoidably have to close our branches nationwide at 1pm on Monday, 25th May 2015,” the notice read.

The bank appealed to clients to understand the current situation and assure them it was working hard to find alternative solutions to problem.

“Whilst we have had to take this step to close branch operations early, we would like to seek your understanding at this time, and assure you that we will continue to work hard at finding alternative solutions to this situation and will advise you once the situation has abated.”

It added that the bank alternative channels such as e-Branches, Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), Internet Banking SMS Banking, Mobile Banking would be fully functional and available for their customers. “All our alternative channels will be fully functional and available for all your Personal and Business Banking”.

The bank also apologised for any inconveniences this might cause to its customers.

Credit: CAJ News

MTN May Shut Down Services As Fuel Scarcity Bites Harder

Posted on May 24, 2015 by Staff Reporter

MTN Nigeria says it may shut down its services due to scarcity of fuel to power its operations.

According to the company, it needs a “significant quantity of diesel in the very near future to prevent a shutdown of services across Nigeria,” it wrote on microblogging site Twitter.

“If diesel supplies are not received within the next 24 hours the network will be seriously degraded and customers will feel the impact,” it added.

In a similar move, rival telco Airtel has also said fuel scarcity may affect the quality of its services as it is finding it hard to get diesel to power its base station.

Scarcity of petroleum products has become worse in Nigeria in recent days as marketers of the products have stopped importation. They claimed that the federal government has refused to fulfill its subsidy payment obligations.

Controlling Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, however, said that the marketers have not been paid because she could not sign off monies that she would find difficult to explain to Nigerians later. She said that the marketers, who had earlier agreed with the setting up of an ad hoc committee made up of their representatives, those of Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Debt Management Office (DMO), and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to verify their claims suddenly backed out.

Airtel Nigeria Releases Statement On Fuel Scarcity

Posted on May 24, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Airtel Networks Limited wishes to inform our customers and the general public that the prevailing situation in the country regarding the scarcity of diesel and other petroleum products is presently impacting negatively, our commitments to delivering best-in-class quality of service and seamless telephony experience to all Nigerians.

While we are currently doing everything within our means as well as going the extra mile to ensure that all our base stations and switches are up and running, it is sad to note that it is becoming increasingly difficult to replenish current stock of diesel due to the lingering scarcity of the products.

We are also concerned that, if the situation persists, it may have adverse effects on our network, impacting both voice and data services.

Airtel, therefore wishes to assure all customers that we will continue working with all our partners and stakeholders to mitigate any negative impact as we remain committed to our promise of providing exceptional services just as we seek the cooperation and understanding of all whilst apologizing for any inconvenience at this time.

Thank you.

SIGNED
MANAGEMENT

Breaking: Ifeanyi Ubah Moves To End Fuel Scarcity; Orders 13 Million Litres Loaded For Nigerians

Posted on May 24, 2015 by Staff Reporter

CEO of Capital Oil & Gas Ltd., Ifeanyi Ubah, has released a press statement on the ongoing fuel scarcity with a hint to almost single-handedly bring provide a temporary solution read.

On Saturday 16th May 2015, we received an SMS ordering the suspension of loading activities in all depots from Monday 18th May 2015. We later realized that this directive was as a result of unpaid funds owed to transporters by oil marketers who in turn are owed by the Federal Government. This development has resulted in immense hardship to our fellow country men and women. We believe that a better solution can be pursued towards solving this problem in a way that does not adversely affect our dear citizens.

Capital Oil and Gas has watched with so much pain, the suffering and hardship our citizens have been subjected to as a result of scarcity of petrol, diesel, aviation fuel and household kerosene. We are deeply pained to hear that hospitals cannot perform surgeries, laboratories are unable to carry out much needed tests especially for emergency patients leaving such patients at risk of dying, radio stations are shutting down, communication is being affected as MTN and other telecommunications company have announced an impending shut down while homes, offices and key facilities nationwide are experiencing blackouts. In some parts of the country, petrol is already selling at an all-time high of N1,000 per litre. Our citizens have left their homes and are now sleeping in fuel stations, facing the risk of robbery attacks and other attendant risk.

In a few days’ time, a new government headed by General Muhamadu Buhari will be sworn in. Apart from our citizens being unable to watch the handover on television and unavailability of transportation for attendees of this historic handover, the resulting chaos from this scarcity may shutdown the Nation and sabotage the efforts Nigeria has made to attain greater heights.

We are constrained at this point and have decided that two wrongs cannot make a right. We will not be part of this sabotage against our fatherland. Therefore from this minute, we shall take the risk of opening our facilities and commence swift loading and distribution of products Nationwide.

Foreigners With Jerrycan Have Joined The Hustle For Fuel In Nigeria

Posted on May 24, 2015 by Staff Reporter

When fuel scarcity prompts an oyibo man to fly okada with jerry can looking for fuel, you know it has come to the worse.

Fuel Crisis: ??Okonjo-Iweala Accuses Oil Marketers of Blackmail

Posted on May 24, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on Saturday accused petroleum products marketers of blackmail? by masterminding the current fuel scarcity that has threatened to ground the economy.
The Minister, who was speaking in Abuja, said it was shocking that barely a week after she reached an agreement over ??N200 billion ?fuel ?claims?,? the marketers reneged and failed to continue selling fuel to consumers.

Mrs?.? Okonjo-Iweala?,? who spoke of efforts the government was making to ensure that the marketers’ claims were paid, said apart from the N154 billion paid a fortnight ago, about N31 billion and N350 billion were paid to the marketers previously.

She said it was curious that despite these efforts by ?the ?government in a year it was going through difficult times?,? the? marketers ?were showing so much bad faith.

?The minister said after the N154 billion was paid and the marketers came up with ?a new? request of
N200 billion as ?their ?outstanding claims, it was found out that about N159 billion was actually what they were asking for as exchange rate differential.

Consequently, she said it was agreed that a committee be set up to verify the claims before the payment was be made.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that the committee was headed by the Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Farouk Ahmed, with the Director General of the Debt Management Office (DMO), Abraham Nwankwo, as well as two Directors-General from the Ministry as members.

“The marketers wanted me (Minister) to sign the claim for the payment of N159 billion and I said no, because Nigerian?s? don’t ?know ?what is exchange rate differential. We had to call those agencies responsible to verify those claims in view of the fact that there has been so much fraud and manipulations in the claims by oil marketers?,” Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala said.?

“We have to be very careful, so that Nigerians would not accuse us of giving away their money for something that was not real. It is the demonstration of the highest sense of bad faith that after we had an agreement during the meeting and they said everything had been settled, only for the marketers to turn around the very next day to say a complete?? opposite thing?.?

The next day they shut down all the filling stations, except few of them who opened to sell. What does that tell you?

My conclusion is that the marketers just want Nigerians to suffer. Anyone who thinks that this whole thing has to do with the money being owed is not being truthful. If it was so, the marketers would have waited for the verification to be completed.

It is wrong to shut down their stations and depots a day after reaching an agreement with government just to make a lot money from the black market. Nigerians should not be blackmailed. Nigerians should not allow themselves to be blackmailed by the oil marketers,” the Minister said.

Senate Summons Okonjo-Iweala, Allison-Madueke, NNPC Over Fuel Scarcity

Posted on May 22, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Joint Senate Committees on Petroleum Resources (Upstream and Downstream) on Friday ordered the Minister of Finance/Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and her counterpart in the Petroleum Resources Ministry, Mrs. Deziani Allison-Madueke, to appear before it on Monday next week over the lingering fuel crisis in the country.

Also summoned along with the two ministers are the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation; Managing Director, Petroleum Pricing and Regulatory Agency; and the Director of the Department of Petroleum Resources.

Representatives of the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria; Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria and the National Association of Road Transport Owners, are also expected to answer questions from the senators at the National Assembly Complex by 10:00am.

A statement issued in Abuja by the Chairmen of the two committees, Senators Emmanuel Paulker (Upstream) and Magnus Abe (Downstream), explained that the invitation of the public officers and groups was as a result of the assignment given to them by the senate.

The statement explained that the Deputy Senate Majority Leader, Senator Abdul Ningi, had on Thursday drew the attention of the Senate to the lingering fuel scarcity in the country and the untold hardship on the generality of Nigerians.

It added that Ningi had also urged the federal parliament to look into the matter with a view to finding the causes and lasting solution to the problem.

It stated that it was in view of the development that the Senate directed its committees on Downstream Petroleum sector and Petroleum Resources (Upstream), to investigate the matter and brief the Upper Chamber about their findings, next Tuesday.

The Joint Committee said the invitation extended to the affected individuals, agencies and groups was therefore necessary in order to obtain adequate information that would be needed to write their report for submission to the whole house.

Credit: sunnewsonline

Senate To Investigate Cause Of Fuel Scarcity

Posted on May 21, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Senate has instructed its Committees on Petroleum Upstream and Downstream to investigate the root cause of the persistent fuel scarcity across the country.

A federal lawmaker, Senator Abdul Ningi, raised a motion on the issue at plenary saying Nigerians need to know what is responsible for the lingering fuel crises in the country, which has so far defied solutions from government.

Long queues have continued to be a permanent feature at petrol stations across the country despite assurances from the federal Government that the situation with oil marketers would be resolved.

Fuel Scarcity: Senate Begins Probe

Posted on May 21, 2015 by Staff Reporter

As fuel scarcity continues nationwide, the Senate Thursday directed its committees on Petroleum Resources (Upstream and Downstream ) to immediately commence investigation into the remote and immediate causes of the fuel crisis in the country.

The Senate Order was sequel to the motion by the Deputy Senate Majority Leader, Senator Abdul Ningi, who had called on the lawmakers to pay serious attention to the fuel crisis that had created great hardship for Nigerians at the moment.

Senator Ningi wondered why a country that has abundant oil resources should face the kind of biting scarcity that had increased the suffering of Nigerians.

But the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary, noted that since the Deputy Senate Leader raised the motion under personal explanation, the senate would not debate it but would rather approved his prayers.

Senator Ekweremadu said, ” Ningi’s prayers are simple and straightforward. He is asking us, as representatives of the people, to direct our committees on upstream and downstream, to find out what is currently going on the oil sector and possibly find a way of addressing it.

“In that regard, we now ask our committees on Petroleum Resources ( Upstream and Downstream), to find out what is going on and what the government is doing about it and report back on Tuesday last week. That is our wish”

The Senate Deputy leader had while moving his motion, said since the Senate still has the mandate of the people? until June 1, it had the responsibility to intervene in the unfortunate development.

According to him, “We need to know whether fuel scarcity has come to stay. We need to know whether it has become part of our life. We need to plan.

“By planning and talking about it we our now sensitising Nigerians to brace up for the impending issue of fuel scarcity whether it is going to be here permanently or temporary.

“But we can’t know all these things until we hear from the experts. Therefore my prayer is to ask the committee on downstream and upstream to come up with explanations next Tuesday through which Nigerians will know and plan their future.

“Otherwise, I think its legally and morally wrong to keep silent about it, sweep it under the carpet and to continue to believe these things are usual.”

Why We Create Fuel Scarcity- Marketers

Posted on May 18, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The lingering fuel crisis may continue till the May 29 handover date to Gen. Muhammadu Buhari government, as oil marketers have resorted to hoarding the product to force government to pay the outstanding debts as claimed, Vanguard learnt.

This is coming on the heels of the fact that the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, is yet to fulfill its promise to begin evacuation of petroleum products from tank farms and depots in Apapa area nine months after.

It was learnt that marketers resorted to hoarding fuel due to fears that they might not be paid their outstanding subsidy claims for imported fuel, and as a result, decided to create the scarcity as a way of forcing the government to speed up the process of effecting payment of the subsidy.

A marketer, who preferred anonymity, told Vanguard that it is better to hoard petrol so as to force the government to agree with their terms before the change in government.

He said: “My friend, we are not sure what the incoming government will do with us as from May 29. We need to force the present government to pay us our outstanding claims now. We love this country, but we need to be sure we have products now, because we do not know what will befall us in the next two weeks.”

Another marketer also corroborated: “We are all aware how a new government behaves in Nigeria. There is uncertainty of what the incoming government will do with us as regards the subsidy. If you were in our shoes, wouldn’t you make sure you get every kobo owed you by the present administration? What better way can you do that than to keep what you have?”

Vanguard also learnt that the marketers decided to create scarcity in order to compel the government to pay them the losses they incurred when the government reduced the pump price of petrol from N97 per litre to N87 per litre.

Read More: vanguardngr

‘Apapa Gridlock May Cause Scarcity Of Fuel’ – NUPENG

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has observed that effective distribution of petroleum products through the use of depots outside Lagos would reduce traffic congestion in Apapa.

Chairman of the union, Tokunbo Korodo, who made this statement in an interview with newsmen in Lagos, appealed to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) to make use of its depots in other states to ease the Apapa traffic gridlock.

He said that the long queues being experienced in Apapa could degenerate into scarcity of petroleum products if not urgently addressed.

Only three out of over 18 depots in Apapa currently have petroleum products. The companies are Capital Oil and Gas, Ibeto Oil and Gas and Integrated Oil and Gas Tank Farms.

“Now that the major oil marketers are not loading products due to unpaid subsidy, the NNPC should quickly use other depots to decongest Apapa.

“If all the tankers in the country come down to Apapa for supply, it will degenerate into scarcity of petroleum products.

“Most of our truck drivers spend more than four days before they could load, which is additional expenses on tank drivers.

“The government should resolve the problem of major oil marketers before it results to petrol scarcity,” he said.

As Fuel Scarcity Grounds Abuja, NNPC Blames Tanker Drivers

Posted on April 29, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Fuel queues took over major streets in Abuja yesterday as desperate and frustrated motorists queued for long hours in search of the product in what appears to be the mother of all queues.

Consequently, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has blamed the situation on the strike embarked upon by the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD).

Our correspondent observed extremely long queues at the few petrol stations which opened for business in Abuja yesterday, with most others claiming to be out of the product.

Meanwhile, illegal fuel vendors, popularly known as black marketers, have taken over the sale of the product which has become almost impossible to get at filling stations. They sell a litre of petrol for as high as N200 and N220 in some cases. The pump price is N87.

However, the NNPC insisted yesterday that it had enough stock of petrol to service the country for 27 days at a national consumption rate of 40 million litres per day, explaining that it had stepped up efforts to end the distribution challenges in the fuel supply system.

In a statement made available to journalists by its spokesman, Ohi Alegbe, the Corporation said it had sufficient stock of petrol at its coastal depots in Port Harcourt, Warri and Calabar besides the stock it holds in the national strategic reserves.

It explained that the distribution hitch was due to the industrial action by NARTO and PTD who have refused to lift petroleum products from the coastal depots in protest of the huge amounts they are being owed by the major marketers.

“We are, however, working towards a speedy resolution of the issues to ensure a hitch-free distribution of products across the country,” Alegbe said in the statement.

The Corporation further appealed to NARTO and PTD to call off the strike in the interest of the country and not unleash unnecessary hardship on Nigerians.

The development has resulted in the increase of transport cost within the FCT by as high as 50 per cent in some cases, even as commuters are left stranded at various bus stops due to the fuel scarcity.

Marketers Warn Of Impending Fuel Scarcity

Posted on April 17, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Petroleum product marketers have warned of a looming scarcity of fuel following the inability of the Federal Government to pay the subsidy arrears for the importation of Premium Motor Spirit.

The marketers under the aegis of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria warned that if the situation was not resolved on time, it could lead to another round of fuel scarcity in the country.

The association stated that despite previous assurances from the government to reimburse the marketers for under recovery as verified by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, it had failed to honour the agreement.

Read More: Punch

Jonathan Orders Finance Minister to Resolve Fuel Scarcity

Posted on March 5, 2015 by Staff Reporter

President Goodluck Jonathan, on Wednesday, ordered the supply of adequate petroleum products to filling stations nationwide.

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, said this when she briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting. The second issue really is about fuel marketers and fuel marketing situation, the scarcity and the lines and queue being experienced in the country.

We discussed that at the Federal Executive Council (meeting), because Mr President wanted a quick action to improve the situation as fast as possible. “So, after the briefing and discussion on both the financial and the physical sides, what emanate is that this situation we hope it will soon be resolved.

“Because, both on the financial side, action has been taken and is being implemented both through the Ministry of Finance and the Governor of the Central Bank.’’

According to her, the Federal Government in December paid N320.6 billion to settle the claims of marketers, while the outstanding balance of N185 billion will soon be paid to them as Sovereign Wealth notes. This, the minister said, was to cover the amount that had been issued to the affected marketers. Okonjo-Iweala also revealed that the council approved N326 million for the provision of temporary office building for the Investment and Securities Tribunal (IST).

According to her, the property is located at Plot 1072 Cadastral Zone b10, Dakibiyu District, Airport Road, Abuja. She said that the approval was informed by the fact that the tribunal had over the years been grappling with the challenge of regular payment of rent on its office accommodation as well as threats of eviction from the rented office accommodation. “The procurement will be funded from a grant of N410, 004 829.81 by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to the Tribunal, based on a request by the Minister of State for Finance for the office building, pool vehicles for judges and other operational purposes.

“After deliberations, council approved the contract to procure temporary office building located at Plot 1072 Cadastral Zone b10, Dakibiyu District, Airport Road, Abuja for the Investments and Securities Tribunal (IST).

“This is in favour of Messrs El-Davido Properties and Engineering Services Limited in the sum of N326 095 875 inclusive of VAT with a delivery period of three weeks.’

Credit: NAN

Fuel Scarcity: FG to Pay $30bn Exchange Rate Differentials to Marketers

Posted on March 5, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said on Wednesday that the Federal Government had agreed to pay 30 billion dollars foreign exchange differentials owed to oil marketers.

Ms. Okonjo-Iweala made this known on Wednesday in Abuja while briefing journalists after a meeting with the Central Bank, Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, major oil markers and depot owners.

“The Federal Government has addressed all contentious issues with the marketers, such as the issue of the foreign exchange rate differentials.

“The Federal Government has agreed to pay the 30 billion dollars exchange rate differentials owed the marketers over the last couple of months.

“It is already in the process of offsetting the N185 billion debts owed the marketers with the issuance of the Sovereign Debt Note (SDN),” she said.

Ms. Okonjo-Iweala added that the Federal Government had been talking with the marketers within the last 10 days.

She added that the President wanted Nigerians to know that government was working on the situation and would resolve the issue in the shortest possible time.

Read More: PremiumTimes

Fuel Scarcity: Okonjo-Iweala Contradicts Petroleum Agency & PDP

Posted on March 4, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Nigeria’s finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has blamed the ongoing fuel crisis on “disruption of pipelines and logistical issues”, apparently invalidating earlier reasons given by the government agency responsible for pricing and regulation of petroleum products.

The minister also contradicted the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, which accused the opposition All Progressives Congress of compelling marketers to either divert or refuse to sell petrol to embarrass the government.

At a news briefing Tuesday, Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala strongly denied any link between the scarcity that has left long queues at filling stations across the country, and a failure by the government to pay fuel marketers — a reason given by the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency, PPPRA. “I want to emphasize that contrary to some unfounded speculations, the queues are not caused by payment issues,” Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala said.

Read More: PremiumTimes

Fuel Scarcity: In Case You Missed Gen. Buhari’s Reaction

Posted on March 4, 2015 by Staff Reporter

APC Presidential candidate Gen. Buhari took to twitter to unburden his heartfelt opinion concerning the current fuel scarcity situation. Read his tweets below:

Okonjo-Iweala Reveals Cause of Fuel Scarcity

Posted on March 4, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has denied that the fuel scarcity witnessed in some parts of the country was caused by non-payment of oil marketers.

Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala said this while briefing newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja. “I want to emphasise that contrary to some unfounded speculations, the queues are not caused by payment issues.

“As you know, we paid the marketers a total of N320.8 billion from the Excess Crude Account in two instalment in December last year.This underscores the fact that we are taking payment of marketers very seriously indeed.

“We’ve been in constant touch and talking with the marketers and a week ago we reached an agreement with them on their core concerns which we have addressed,’’ she said.

Read More: PremiumTimes

NNPC Vows to End to Fuel Scarcity Before Weekend

Posted on March 4, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Group Executive Director at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aisha Abdulrahman, on Tuesday assured Nigerians that long queues in petrol stations will end before the weekend.

She gave the assurance when the Supervising Minister of Information, Chief Edem Duke, visited the NNPC Mega Station on Olusegun Obasanjo Way in Wuse Zone 1, Abuja. “We are assuring you before the end of the week queues will be a thing of the past and if it still persist, I will personally be on the stations to see that you get fuel,” she said.

She also said the queue was as a result of speculations about impending increase in pump price of petrol. “There is this speculation that price of fuel and other products will be increased and people tend to panic”. She, however, said that leakage and pipeline vandalism were part of the challenges facing distribution.

According to her, the corporation is doing its best to address the problem. “I think this is a wrong time for Nigerians to begin to queue up to buy fuel and engage in panic buying.

“It is easing out, and by tomorrow and by the end of the week, the long queue will disappear all over the country,” she said.

She added that the corporation had adopted a standard practice by ensuring 24 hours service delivery to ease out the queues. The Managing Director of NNPC Retail, Chris Osarumwense, said the corporation had enough and had distributed products around the country. “We had a small challenge in our supply systems but that has been ratified. It will take some time for us to clear the queue,” he said.

He, however, said that Petroleum Products and Marketing Company (PPMC), had capacity to ensure distribution of products from March 3 to April 2.”We are to service the NNPC network, all over the country; we get about 225 trucks daily.

“In NNPC branded retail, we have about 550 retails as well as our affiliated retails,” he said. The Supervising Minister of Information encouraged other petrol stations to ensure 24 hours service delivery so as to ease out the queues.

Credit- NAN

Fuel Scarcity: Stop Playing Politics With The Welfare Of Nigerians, Kwara Speaker Tells Jonathan

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly and APC candidate for the House of Representatives (Asa/Ilorin West Federal Constituency), Barr. Razak Atunwa has described the allegation against the All Progressive Congress by the People’s Democratic Party on the ongoing nationwide fuel scarcity as irresponsible and immoral of a party who was constitutionally elected to ameliorate the welfare of the nation.

The National Chairman of the PDP, Adamu Muazu had made an allegation against the All Progressive Congress stating that the ongoing fuel scarcity was caused by the APC which he said had bribed oil marketers to hoard petroleum product nationwide.

Reacting to this in a statement signed by his Media Office, the Kwara State Speaker, Barr. Razak Atunwa decried the poor state of the nation’s economy and called on the President to stop politicizing the welfare of Nigerians by positioning the nation’s economy in a way that makes it impossible for Nigerians to embark on their daily activities.

Atunwa said “PDP National Chairman, Adamu Muazu has blamed the fuel scarcity on the opposition party, another flimsy excuse! No serious government will blame everything on the opposition, a serious government must take responsibility for whatever happens in the country.

“The Federal Government has spent trillions of Naira on so called subsidy without accountability. Under Jonathan, over 8 billion U.S. Dollars is lost annually to oil theft, the biggest Nigeria has ever experienced.

“Unfortunately, US who is the major importer of Nigerian oil since 1973 has announced that it will not import oil from Nigeria anymore, yet president Goodlcuk is not diversifying our economy. APC has no power to ignite scarcity of fuel in the nation, hence, Goodluck should better take responsibility and stop politicizing the wellbeing of Nigerians” he stated emphatically.

Recalling the damage done by the PDP led government to Nigerian economy, including the multibillion-dollar government oil-corruption scandals, a wave of cold-blooded killings by Boko Haram militants still holding almost 300 schoolgirls for almost a year, Atunwa said these are resulting effects of an irresponsible government that has prioritized it’s selfish interests over the interests of Nigerians.

However, Barr. Atunwa called on Nigerians to resolutely vote against the PDP in the forthcoming elections in order to break Nigeria away from the shackles of poor leadership.

“We have been on this road for almost four years now, the road of poor leadership accompanied by severe corruption and lack of compassion on the masses and the only way we can make a change is to vote out the incumbent government of Goodluck Jonathan. We have waited for this period hurtling through the hard times to reset Nigeria and rewrite our history. Thus, let’s be passionate, dodged and legally resilient in our fight for a better Nigeria” he said.

Atunwa expressed serious optimism that the All Progressive Congress will reform Nigeria if elected into power in the forthcoming elections. “Nigerians must capitalize on the failure of Jonathan to vote a new government, no doubts, with the commitment and passion for Nigerians demonstrated by the APC, it will perform better when elected to power in the coming elections. Therefore, we should all come out and vote for APC in order to renew Nigeria and set it on the right path politically and economically” he stated.

Fuel Scarcity: Nigeria At The Mercy Of Imports, Says Buhari

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Staff Reporter

General Muhammadu Buhari, the All Progressives Congress, presidential candidate has lamented the fuel scarcity that has hit the country, noting that, Nigerians are made to spend quality hours queuing for petroleum products.

Buhari who wrote on his official Twitter page said Nigeria as a country should not be importing petrol. “The countless man hours that will be spent at petrol stations today, will reduce our productivity as a nation.This should not be so,” he wrote.

Buhari then went on to state his achievements when he was head of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) “In my time as NNPC chairman and Petroleum Minister in the late 70s, 2 of our 4 refineries were built, and domestic consumption catered for,” he wrote, noting that, Nigeria has the capability to have sufficient petrol consumption.

“But over the last several years our refineries have declined, and we are at the mercy of imports.”

“We must reject a system that has turned one of world’s largest crude exporters into an importer of petrol. Things must change,” he wrote.

PDP Accuses APC Of Fueling Petrol Scarcity

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The People’s Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation, PDPPCO, yesterday accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of being behind the present fuel scarcity in the country, by sabotaging the Federal Government’s efforts at ensuring that there was supply of Petroleum products.

A statement yesterday by the Director, Media and Publicity, PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani- Kayode said the sudden fuel scarcity in many parts of the country was because the APC had infiltrated the ranks of the fuel marketers, who had taken a sub-contract from the opposition to frustrate supplies of petrol to fuel stations as part of a grand plan to create tension in the polity.

“We know who the fuel marketers are. We know the relationship that exists between one of the biggest fuel marketers and a national leader of the APC,” Fani-Kayode claimed.

“These unconscionable opposition elements infiltrated the ranks of the fuel marketers, whom they have contracted, in a calculated attempt to frustrate the good efforts of government.”

The APC has, however, described the accusation as totally unconscionable. The party noted that the PDP-led FG had simply abdicated its responsibility to the people and should throw in the towel.

“The questions to ask are: who runs the NNPC? Who pays subsidy to fuel marketers? Who has used federal resources to bribe individuals and groups to such a level that there is no money to run the government, not to talk of paying subsidies?” a statement by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said.

Fuel Scarcity: Blame it on Opposition Leaders, Says Mu’aazu

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Fuel scarcity across the country has been blamed on some opposition leaders, who are believed to be hoarding fuel by the National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, Adamu Mu’aazu. According to the PDP chairman, the scarcity of fuel has been engineered to undermine President Goodluck Jonathan’s profile ahead of the general elections and tarnishing his image.

Although the names of the political leaders were not mentioned, Mu’aazu has stated that all they are trying to do will work against them and the PDP is set to fix the matter soon.

Read More: Punch