Fuel queues to clear as loading resumes at depots
The queues at filling stations for Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, may subside this week as PMS loading has resumed in Lagos depots.
Our correspondent reported on Saturday that the depot owners decided not to open for business because of the hunger protest that started on Thursday. Truck owners and drivers were also afraid of possible attacks while transporting fuel.
Oil marketers had also explained on Monday that the reappearance of queues at filling stations in many states was because of the halt in the supply of petroleum products by dealers in a bid to avert losing their assets due to the ongoing nationwide hunger protests.
Many states in Nigeria, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, witnessed varying degrees of queues about two weeks ago, which the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited blamed on a “hitch in the discharge operations of a couple of vessels.”
While the company and stakeholders worked together to tackle the challenge, the nationwide protest against hunger and economic hardship commenced on Thursday, August 1, 2024, disrupting petrol supply again and causing the reappearance of queues in some states.
However, reliable sources at the depots told our correspondent on Monday that some trucks were loaded on Sunday and Monday to supply petrol across the country.
Officials of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and other government agencies were reportedly at the depots to supervise the process.
It was learned that more fuel vessels berthed at the weekend and some depots were supplied.
“There were activities today in some depots that took fuel during the ongoing protest,” a source said.
Another official told our correspondent, “NMDPRA and other officials have been on duty since Thursday when the protest started, just that depots are being careful of the security of trucks and drivers on the road.”
The official added that the seemingly low protest across the country, especially in Lagos, had been boosting loading since Sunday.
The source said the queues in filling stations may start easing off from Monday, though not as it is supposed to be.
He, however, noted that the pump price of a litre of petrol might still be high till next week when supply would have been further boosted.
The PUNCH observed that many filling stations in the cities had not opened for business since the commencement of the hunger protest. Many Nigerians also decided to sit at home over fear of violence.
Many petrol depots were dry last week Sunday, leading to fuel scarcity and attendant queues in Lagos, Ogun, parts of Abuja, Niger, and some other states across the country.
It was noticed that black marketers took advantage of the situation, selling the product for as high as N1,300/litre and N1,500/litre in parts of Lagos and Ogun states.
NNPC had explained that the tightness in fuel supply and distribution witnessed in some parts of Lagos and the FCT was a result of a hitch in the discharge operations of a couple of vessels.
The NNPC Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, had stated that the company was “working round the clock with all stakeholders to resolve the situation and restore normalcy in the operations.”
Source – The Punch
