By Adaobi Rhema Oguejiofor
Oil marketers on Wednesday said that the supply of fuel is not yet stabilized and is the reason for the extensive queues still seen in most parts of the country, except in Abuja.
While reacting to the statement made by Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, that fuel queues will clear within a week, the oil marketers expressed optimism but maintained their claim that enforcing the N195-per-litre price limit approved by government on filling stations will be a tough one.
This came as the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) said that NNPC had assured the Association of about 140 million litres of fuel, which is currently held in reserves for oil marketers. According to IPMAN, this was done by NNPC to address the union’s fuel supply challenge.
Mohammed Shuaibu, the Secretary of IPMAN Abuja-Suleja, while speaking on Kyari’s statement, said the Association cannot just claim at the moment that the problem was over. He added that a week or more will be given to see how situations turn out before drawing conclusions.
Shuaibu also lamented that members of his Association in various parts of the country are still not getting products the way they are supposed to.
The IPMAN Secretary said some members of the Association bought products at a higher rate than others and, presently, the government wants them to sell at the approved price which is lower than their cost price. According to him, ‘this enforcement will be difficult and challenging.”