Petrol

Border closure: Ogun monarch cries out, says petrol now N350 per litre

The partial closure of the border between Nigeria and Republic of Benin has led to an increase in the cost of petrol from the official price of N145 to N350 per litre in some border communities in Ogun.

The traditional ruler of Iwoye Ketu, Oba Ademola Alaye, said in a statement in Abeokuta that the development was already hampering social and economic activities of the people living in the affected cimmunities.

The monarch, however, said overzealousness on the part of officers and men of the Joint Security Task Force was largely responsible for the astronomical hike in the price of petrol.

He said that the task force officials’ refusal to allow fuel tankers to reach Iwoye-Ketu, Idofa, Ilara, Oke Agbede, Moriwi and Wasinmi Okuta, all border communities, to discharge the product at designated filling stations had brought untold hardship on the people.

“My attention has been drawn to a statement credited to President Muhammadu Buhari while responding to his Republic of Benin counterpart request that partial closure of land borders was due to the smuggling of rice into the country.

“With the statement, how come the Joint Security Task Force now create hardship for the people of Iwoye-Ketu, Idofa,  Ilara, Oke Agbede,  Moriwi and Wasinmi Okuta by not allowing fuel tankers to reach these communities.

“As at today, a litre of petrol is now N350 due to the overzealousness of the task force, creating unwarranted hardship for my people,” the statement quoted the monarch as saying.

Alaye noted that the development had further compounded the economic challenges facing the residents still battling with the issue of tomatoes, yam and other perishable goods reportedly seized by the task force.

He called  on the Federal Government to quickly intervene by ending the scarcity of fuel and to allow his subjects to continue with their legitimate businesses.

“I’m now appealing to the Federal Government to quickly intervene on the issue of scarcity of fuel because we are all Nigerians doing legitimate businesses.

“The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria did not say that people living at the border areas should not live in good condition.

” Most of us are predominantly farmers who cannot afford N350 per litre of fuel,” the monarch said.

When contacted the Operations Controller of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Abeokuta Field Office, Mrs Muinat Bello – Zagi, promised to look into the complaint and take appropriate action. (NAN)

No plan to increase price of petrol – NNPC

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says it has no plans to increase the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS),  popularly known as petrol in the country.

The Corporation made this known in a statement issued by its spokesman, Mr Ndu Ughamadu, in Abuja on Thursday.

He advised motorists and other petroleum products consumers to disregard trending rumour of a planned hike in the pump price of PMS.

He added that the statement of the corporation’s Group Managing Director, Malam Mele Kyari, at the National Assembly on Wednesday did not suggest any plan to increase the price of the product.

He clarified that what Kyari said during his engagement with Senate President Ahmed Lawan at the National Assembly was that the price of petrol was abysmally low in Nigeria compared to what was obtained in neighbouring West African countries.

Ughamadu noted that Kyari had observed at the event that the huge disparity in the pump price of petrol between Nigeria on one hand and her neighbouring country on the other hand tended to encourage cross-border leakages.

He advised Nigerians from all walks of life to disregard the insinuation of a hike in the price of petrol by NNPC, adding that the corporation was not even in a position to regulate the price of petroleum products.

He noted that NNPC’s role as an operator must be differentiated from that of any of the Industry regulators.

The spokesperson further emphasised that as directed by relevant agencies of the Government, the pump Price of petrol remained N145 per litre.

He cautioned petroleum products marketers not to sell petrol above N145 per litre.

He advised Nigerians to remain vigilant and volunteer information to the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), the Industry regulator, or to any law enforcement agency around them, on any station which sells petrol beyond N145 per litre. (NAN)

Baru cautions against disruption in petroleum products supply

#TrackNigeria – Stakeholders in the nation’s Downstream Petroleum Sector have been cautioned to avoid any act that could undermine the seamless supply and distribution of petroleum products that currently prevails in the country.

The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, who made this plea at the launching of Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPPMC) Business Automation with SAP Modules and Web-Based Customer Express in Abuja today said Nigerians must not be subjected to any form of stress in respect to products supply and distribution.

PPMC is a Downstream Subsidiary of NNPC.

Referring to the recent incident that occurred in Calabar Depot which led to the disruption of products loading and the consequent hiccup in products supply in Cross River State for three days before normalcy was restored, Dr. Baru appealed to stakeholders, especially the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), and the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) to resolve their differences in the interest of the citizens of this country.

“We have stability in fuel supply, the citizens should not be punished by unions who are supposed to make life better and comfortable for their members’, he said.

On the new Web-Based Customer Express Solution, the GMD said it would go a long way in supporting NNPC Management’s commitment to improving the efficiency of its business operations, and help eliminate the activities of middle men and all forms of sharp practices at all NNPC depots.

Speaking earlier, Managing Director of the Petroleum Products Marketing Company, PPMC, Mr. Umar Ajiya, said the Business Process Automation Solutions and Web-Based Customer Express solutions would eliminate products losses because it eases the way of doing business with PPMC and also fully automates the processes without human interference across the value chains.

No immediate plan to increase petrol pump price – DPR

#TrackNigeria: Mr Antai Asuquo, the Operations Controller of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Warri Zonal Office, has said that the Federal Government had no plan to increase the pump price of petrol.

Asuquo made this disclosure to newsmen on Tuesday on a sideline during the celebration of the “World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development” held simultaneously in all the DPR offices in the country.

The annual event with the theme, ” Exploring Nigeria’s Diversity and Rich Cultural Heritage” was organised by the DPR.

The controller urged Nigerians to be focused and stop worrying about possible fuel hike that could lead to crisis in the supply chain, adding that ‘the product is available and the pump price remains N145 per litre’.

“There is availability of petroleum products, the price of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) remains the same and there is no immediate plan to change it.

“We should not hoard the product for a particular period of time because keeping the product at home is dangerous.

“Our lives and property are important, so we should value and manage our resources in a way that we do not cause harm to ourselves,” he advised.

Asuquo also urged Nigerians to key into the federal government’s policy on the use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), noting that there was abundant cooking gas in the country.

“The federal government is trying to enforce the availability of cooking gas all over the federation and people are encouraged to use it.

“The LPG is the energy of the future, it is cleaner, most sustainable and we have abundant of it.

“I encourage people to follow the government’s policies and we will be happy for it,” he said.

On the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, Asuquo said Nigeria remained an indivisible entity irrespective of our ethnic, religious and cultural differences.

“Today is diversity day; the DPR sets aside diversity in culture, gender, religion, style, grade and people; it is all about the multi faceted nature of our people in DPR.

“This is what makes DPR special, we are united in diversity. The differences we have in terms of culture, religion and ethnicity has not changed our focus in Nigeria as an entity.

“This is a way of assuring our staff and stakeholders in the Department that Nigeria is a one united indivisible entity.

“As diverse as we are, we remain one, the focus is to ensure that Nigeria continues to grow from strength to strength and remain united

“In the oil and gas industry, we interface with all manner of people globally.

“We are also trained to adapt and be able to deal with others irrespective of their culture and backgrounds,” he said. (NAN)

12 ships discharging petrol, other commodities in Lagos- NPA

Twelve ships are discharging petroleum products and other commodities at Apapa and Tin-Can Island Ports in Lagos, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said on Friday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that three of the vessels are discharging petrol.

NPA said that other nine ships were discharging buckwheat, container, general cargo, bulk malt and empty containers (NAN).