Fuel Scarcity, NNPC Cautions Marketers’ Against Product Diversion, Hoarding

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has warned petroleum products marketers against diverting and hoarding the products.
Mr Fidel Pepple, acting Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, gave the warning in Abuja against the back drop of the lingering fuel scarcity in the metropolis.
Pepple gave a detailed breakdown of the number of trucks that brought in products daily to Abuja and wondered why some filling stations did not receive the product.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has warned petroleum products marketers against diverting and hoarding the products.
Mr Fidel Pepple, acting Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, gave the warning in Abuja against the back drop of the lingering fuel scarcity in the metropolis.
Pepple gave a detailed breakdown of the number of trucks that brought in products daily to Abuja and wondered why some filling stations did not receive the product.
He explained that the corporation through the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), had released enough petrol to meet the demand in Abuja and its environs.
“Going by the quantity of PMS (petrol) that has been released by PPMC from the Kaduna Refinery for distribution in Abuja, we are not supposed to have queues at all in any filling station.
“On Monday, 71 trucks of PMS were loaded from the refinery in Kaduna designated for Abuja, but the report we have shows that only 18 trucks arrived in Abuja.
“On Tuesday, 45 trucks of PMS were loaded from Kaduna to Abuja, only 25 arrived.
“This clearly shows that some marketers are diverting the product, thereby causing unnecessary hardship to Nigerians,” he said.
Pepple said the NNPC had already alerted the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) about the development, adding that PPMC was working in conjunction with the DPR to unravel the identity of those involved in the unpatriotic act.
According to him, all those found to be involved will be severely sanctioned.
Pepple called on motorists to avoid panic buying as there was enough stock of PMS to meet the demand of Nigerians.
He said that NNPC was doing everything within its powers to resolve the distribution challenge being experienced as a result of pipeline vandalism.