December 19, 2017

Dr Maikanti Baru, the Group Managing Director(GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has assured Nigerians of sufficient supply of petroleum products during and after the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Baru gave the assurance on Tuesday when Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger paid him a courtesy visit at the NNPC Towers in Abuja.

He said that the corporation was planning to import one billion litres of petroleum at the end of December before going back to the normal 30 days sufficiency.

“We have redoubled our supply to the country at the time the rumor of fuel scarcity started,

“We have 30 days sufficiency of petroleum and have to put in extra supply over the usual supply to about 700 trucks daily supply.

“That will amount to between 27 million litres and 30 million litres,’’ he said.

Baru commended the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) for supporting the NNPC in ensuring that all depots and stations with products were selling.

He regretted the strike embarked upon by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), saying that the reason for the strike was not directly related to the NNPC.

“We thank God that they had withdrawn their strike and supply of fuel products has been restored in Abuja and other parts of the country.

“We guarantee that there is enough petrol to go round, and the DPR is out to seal stations and marketers hoarding the products.

“Those hoarding will have their products given away to users without payment,” he said.

He appealed to marketers and fuel stations to maintain the official selling price of N145 per litre, which he said was in line with the price regulation.

Earlier, Bello had appealed to the NNPC boss to fast track the exploration of the Bida oil basin.

He said that the state government had established a Ministry of Mineral Resources and Department of Oil and Gas to ensure the state becomes an oil producing states.

“We are making progress in the basin and that is why we are here to follow up and find out how things are moving and have an understanding of the progress made for the benefit of our people.

“It will be our joy and hope that the state will join the oil producing states, as we are hoping to start exploring oil in the state as soon as possible.”

The governor also appealed to the NNPC boss to build a truck park for oil tankers in Minna, Suleja, Mokwa and Tegina.

He said that trucks parking by the roadsides had resulted to loss of lives and environmental hazards in the state.

“A lot of oil trucks filled with fuel park within our communities and they load oil above the normal approved standard of 3,500 metric tons per truck.

“We are asking for your support to assist us build the parks and rehabilitate our roads that are in bad shape as a result of these trucks carrying overweight products,” he said.