Worried by the recent fuel scarcity in the country,Minister for Petroleum,Mrs.Alison Madueke has accused petroleum marketers of being behind the scarcity.She spoke during a visit to Lagos saying,
“We have enough fuel to wet the country, but the challenge we are
having is that, after loading, some truck drivers will not supply the
lifted products at the designated filling stations. Having gone round
the state (Lagos), it is not just the filling stations at Ikoyi that
appeared to be wet with product, but other extreme locations like Ajah
and other parts in Surulere,” she said.
Speaking on the scarcity of petrol, Alison-Madueke said there were many
factors militating against efficient delivery of the products to the
end users.
“We learnt that some of the marketers instructed their drivers to
change the number plates of their trucks to make it difficult for
tracking. Does it mean those markets they are diverting the product to
are more lucrative than intended market? I have directed the heads of
the agencies, Departemnt of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Pipeline Product
Marketing Company (PPMC) and Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory
Agency (PPPRA), to get back to me today and give me a clear picture and
timeline in terms of numbers of trucks coming in to Lagos, the volumes
and where they are getting to in terms of the market,” she said.
“If we can establish there is (diversion of products), I want to know
when and how this is being done. They need to supply me how these trucks
are being tracked because diversion is not easy to do. They will be
sanctioned and I am ready to publish names of anybody that may be
involved,” she added.
The minister however assured Nigerians that there were enough products
in strategic reserves that would last for over two weeks if importation
of fuel were to be suspended.
1 comment:
she had better make do her threat about investigating truck diversions.....
Post a Comment