Fuel scarcity will persist, petroleum marketers, depots owners, warn

The Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMA) on Tuesday said scarcity of petroleum products would persist if the Federal Government failed to pay marketers their outstanding subsidy claim.

The Executive Secretary of the association, Mr Adewole Olufemi, made the statement in Lagos yesterday.

Olufemi said that the marketers had stopped importation of petroleum products because of outstanding subsidy claims and commercial banks refusal to offer members additional loans.

“After the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) and National Road Transport Association (NARTO) suspended their strike on May 25, all our depots were opened and we dispensed the little the stocks therein.

“Presently, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is using our depots to distribute the products nation-wide.

“But as we used to say, NNPC alone cannot do it; we have to join hands so that Nigerians will have enough products.

“We have promised to support the government in other to put an end to this scarcity of petroleum products but banks have refused to give us loans because we have not paid the previous one.

“Unless we commence importation of fuel and join hand with NNPC to eliminate the scarcity, there may not be an end to scarcity of petroleum products in sight,” he said.

The secretary also urged the current administration to assist marketers by paying their outstanding subsidy claim to enable members to commence products importation.

Petroleum products scarcity may have returned in Lagos, as most petrol stations in some areas remained shut.

Some motorists queued outside the petrol stations in spite of the operators’ refusal to dispense petrol to the public.

According some motorists, they preferred to be on queue until the supply arrives because the station was reliable and would sell at government approved pump price.

Mr Tunji Adeyemi, a businessman at Idumota market, Lagos, said he would continue to queue because of his trust in the station.

“This is one of the best stations in this area; they do not adjust their meter or sell above pump price.

“That is why you see motorists waiting for the arrival of the truck,” he said.

Out of eight petrol stations along Itire road, Lagos, only two were seen dispensing petrol at N120 per litre.

One of the petrol attendants, who pleaded anonymity, said they were directed by their management to sell at N120 per litre.