…as Stakeholders vow to restore normalcy
BY SAM OTUONYE
Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has disclosed the reasons why Abuja, the Federal Capital territory (FCT) and some other parts of the country have been under fuel scarcity siege for some days now resulting in long queues at few major fuel stations that are selling the products.
A press statement by the company’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Sonoye, Monday, noted that the fuel queues in the FCT is primarily due to disruption of ship-to-ship (STS) transfer of PMS between Mother Vessels and Daughter Vessels resulting from recent thunderstorms, and the consequential flooding of trucking routes which constrained movement of PMS to Abuja from coastal corridor.
It said: “The NNPC Ltd wishes to state that the fuel queues seen in the FCT and some parts of the country, were as a result of disruption of ship-to-ship (STS) transfer of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, between Mother Vessels and Daughter Vessels resulting from recent thunderstorm.
“The adverse weather condition has also affected berthing at jetties, truck load-outs and transportation of products to filling stations, causing a disruption in station supply logistics.”
The statement further stated that due to flammability of petroleum products and in compliance with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) regulations, it was impossible to load petrol during rainstorms and lightning adding that adherence to these regulations is mandatory as any deviation could pose severe danger to the trucks, filling stations and human lives.
“Similarly, the development was compounded by consequential flooding of truck routes which has constrained movement of PMS from the coastal corridors to the Federal Capital, Abuja.
“The NNPC Ltd is working with relevant stakeholders to resolve the logistics challenges and restore seamless supply of petrol to affected areas.
“Already, loading has commenced in areas where these challenges have subsided, and we are hoping the situation will continue to improve in the coming days and full normalcy will be restored.
“The NNPC also calls on motorists to avoid panic buying and hoarding of petroleum products,” the statement concluded.