Yusuf Lawal Othman, national president of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), says the country is experiencing a scarcity of premium motor spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, due to a number of challenges.
Speaking with reporters in Abuja on Wednesday, Othman listed the Russia-Ukraine war, high cost of transporting the product, and the exchange rate as the reasons for the persistent nationwide petrol shortage.
The NARTO president said, aside from the aforementioned challenges, the country has enough supply to meet demand.
“Relating to the current supply and availability of petroleum products is not unconnected with the current Russia-Ukraine war,” he said.
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“Two, is the high cost of transporting from the mother vessels to the daughter vessels to the tank farms.
“Three, the exchange rate. But I know we have adequate fuel.”
Othman said reports of sharp practices at filling stations owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited are false.
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“Whatever is written is not true, it is false. As far as we are concerned the NNPCL retailers are the largest retail outlet in the country,” he said.
“As of today, they are the only marketing company that sells fuel at the same price everywhere in the country.
“The same price in Lagos, same price in Abuja. So you will see some envy by other marketers and from experience, personally my own company has been working with NNPC retail in the last 15 years. I know their pedigree and their capacity.”
He further admonished members of NARTO not to participate in oil bunkering and smuggling.
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“Let me use this opportunity to call on our law-abiding and patriotic members who are into the transportation of petroleum products to please desist from illegal bunkering, smuggling, and diversion of petroleum products because these actions are detrimental to the economy of our great nation,” Othman said.
“This association will not support, defend, or sympathise with anyone caught committing these crimes.”
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