Strong indications have emerged that the lingering scarcity of petrol in Lagos and its environs would fizzle out from this weekend as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and major marketers have brought in additional vessels carrying about 96 million litres of petrol to ease the situation. Executive Director in charge of Commercials at the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of the NNPC, Mr. Gbenga Komolafe, who confirmed the development to journalists Friday said the NNPC’s three additional vessels, carrying about 110 million litres of petrol and two other vessels belonging to Mobil Oil Nigeria are due to arrive Nigerian waters next week.
An agreement pledging to pay the outstanding claims of the marketers was signed on behalf of the Government by the Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. It was also agreed that the license of marketers that refuse to lift fuel within six hours should be revoked. Also, the committee is to verify N200 billion MOMAN claimed the government owes its members. If the committee “concludes its verifications of the outstanding claims before the end of the life of this administration, it would be reflected in the handover notes to the new President.
The lingering fuel crisis has paralysed business activities across the nation with several notable firms announcing closure of businesses. The scarcity also raised the pump price of petrol ranging between N200 to N400 per litre with a dramatic increase in transport fares. The Senate had mandated its joint committee on Petroleum Resources (upstream and downstream) to meet with stakeholders including the federal government to find immediate solution to the lingering fuel scarcity in the country.
At last,respite comes to Nigeria.
