Marketers set to begin lifting of fuel

The Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) has reached an agreement with the federal government to begin lifting of petroleum products across the country “in six hours”.

According to Magnus Abe, chairman of the senate committee on petroleum resources, the resolution was reached after a meeting of MOMAN and the committee with‎ Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, minister of finance and coordinating minister for the economy; Joseph Dawha, group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and major stakeholders in the oil and gas sector.

Also, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) have suspended their industrial actions.

‎The senate commenced a probe of the grinding fuel scarcity in the country on Monday.

‎During the hearing of the probe, Okonjo-Iweala argued that the current scarcity of fuel in the country was caused by “some forces” among the major oil marketers who were bent on making the government of President Goodluck Jonathan look bad.

The minister said out of the N200 billion that the marketers were asking for, “N159 billion is unclarified claims”.

She maintained that she would not give approval to the release of the said money until it was clarified.

“If a finance minister is to sign on to that amount without making sure that this amount is really what it is, will Nigerians not accuse of fraud?” she asked.

“I don’t want to be part of any accusation of fraud. We must verify properly.

“What is happening is a deliberate attempt to sabotage this economy and bring the government to a standstill; to make the administration look bad so that Nigerians will feel the government has not done anything‎.”

However, representative of MOMAN said the N159 billion was genuine, adding that their members could not import fuel because banks refused to give credit even after the intervention of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“We want all our money because we don’t trust the government,” he said.

Also speaking, Dawha‎, GMD of NNPC, said there was sufficient petroleum products to last for 24 days in the country.

“This is an extraordinary time; we need to come together and confront the issue,” he said. “At NNPC, we are doing our best.”

After the hearing, Abe‎, Okonjo-Iweala, Dawha and major oil stakeholders present went into a closed-door meeting, which lasted for 25 minutes.

After the meeting, Abe read out resolutions that were reached‎.

“I’m glad to announce to all of us that we have been able to reach some understanding that will bring immediate solution to the supply and distribution of petroleum products,” he said.

“The minister of finance will give an undertaking to the major oil marketers and DAPMAN ‎that will work on the committee being headed by the CBN to verify the outstanding claims.

“If it is concluded before the end of the life of this administration, it will be reflected in the handover; if it is not, it will also be reflected in the handover note. On the basis of that agreement, MOMAN would offer whatever cooperation is needed for lifting of products to commence within the next six hours.

“DAPMAN is to instruct all depots to open; lifting of products should commence within the next six hours any depot that does not open will have its license revoked in the national interest.”

Abe further said that it was agreed that all relevant NNPC staff and depots would work for 24 hours, including on Saturday, until normalcy returns to system.

Representatives of the oil stakeholders ‎ chorused their agreement with the resolutions.

“I like to thank the chairman and all senators present. If this meeting had taken place two weeks ago, we wouldn’t have been where are today,” representative of MOMAN said.

“Whatever disagreement have been resolved to a reasonable extent.”

On its part, the National Association of Road Transport Workers (NARTO) said it had directed it members‎ “to mobilise their trucks to all depots where there are products for lifting”.

Also, Depot and Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPMAN), said it had directed its members to open their depots for fuel to be lifted.