Sokoto govt to start selling petrol ‘directly’ to residents

The Sokoto state government has announced plans to sell one million litres of petrol to motorists every week.

Ibrahim Magaji, chairman of the Sokoto’s task force on the supply of petroleum products, said the government made the decision to stabilise the fuel supply situation in the state.

Magaji said to achieve seamless sale of petrol products, the state government will renew its bulk purchase agreement licence with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

“The state government would start the bulk purchase of petrol and sell same to the motorists. Anytime the state government buys one million litres, it would get nothing less than thirty trucks of petrol.

“The state government has fuel dumps across city and its environs to sell the commodity to the motorists. The task force will do everything humanly possible towards ensuring the availability of the product across the state.

“We will ensure the effective monitoring and enforcement of all laws related to the sale and distribution of petroleum products.”

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that although the fuel supply situation in Sokoto is better than before, some independent marketers were still selling the commodity between N160 and N 175 per litre as opposed to the official price of N145.

Aminu Tambuwal, the state governor, recently threatened to withdraw the Certificate of Occupancy of petrol stations that sell above the official price.