Fuel Scarcity: Minister pushes to overcome supply disruption

The Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, says the Federal Government and regulatory authorities are making efforts to address fuel scarcity by ensuring that supply disruption is overcome.

The minister made this known to newsmen on Thursday in Abuja after a meeting with some key leaders in the petroleum industry.

Sylva spoke shortly after meeting with Malam Mele Kyari, Group Managing Director, NNPC Ltd. and Mr Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), among others.

“This kind of supply disruptions are like accidents, they are not desirable, we do not expect them to happen but they happened once in a while.

“This administration has done well as far as fuel supply is concern. I am quite happy to hear from the NNPC GMD and CEO of NMDPRA on all they have been doing to ensure the scarcity is controlled.

“From what they have told me, in few days there will normalcy, everybody is putting efforts to ensure that supply disruption is overcome.

“On my part as Minister of State, I share their commitment to ensure that this problem is totally overcome.

“From all the figures shown to me the supply is there, so why are they hoarding it, in the next few days we will be able to overcome those unscrupulous elements and make sure products get to Nigerians,” he said.

On black marketers, he said it was caused by unscrupulous elements, who chose to take advantage of the situation, thereby calling on them to sell rightly.

According to Kyari, as of this evening, NNPC has up to 1.79 billion litres of Motor Spirit (PMS) on ground and is still continuing 24 hours loading at the depots and selling.

“We are working with the Premium e regulatory authorities, particularly the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to ensure normalcy,” he assured.