We have enough fuel in the country. Petroleum minister assures Nigerians

Report from News agency of Nigeria.

Dr .Ibe Kachikwu, The Minister of State for Petroleum
Resources, on Sunday
assured Nigerians that there is
sufficient Premium Motor Spirit (petrol)
in the country .

In an Interview with the
News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos , Minister Kachikwu said
that the country had gone past the era
of fuel scarcity and urged motorists to
desist from panic buying .
“ I can say that there shouldn’ t be any
reason for fuel scarcity , we have gone
past the era of fuel scarcity.
“ NNPC informed me when I made
inquires that they imported enough .
“ Yesterday, I saw a few pockets of
scarcity in Abuja , but I was told that it
was Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF)
related distribution issues , and it will
be sorted out as soon as possible ..
“ So, it is not an issue of lack of
sufficiency , I am told they have about
28 day’ s sufficiency , two weeks ago ,
they presently have between 14 and 15
days product sufficiency , ’’ he said.
The minister noted that the 28 days
sufficiency was okay based on 50
million litres daily utilisation in the
country .
“ I don ’t expect to see a scarcity , I just
expect them to work hard over the next
few days to deal with whatever logistic
issue they have. I will be working with
NNPC on that , ’’ he added
On queues building up in some filling
stations in Lagos and Abuja , he
maintained that the country was wet
enough to serve the needs of motorists .
“ I haven ’t visited Lagos cities , but the
information I have is that there is
enough product on ground and we
should be able to deal with whatever it
is.
“ The problem with fuel scarcity is that
if you allow it to last for three days ,
then it builds up a life of its own.
“ That is what I have enforced NNPC to
do to make sure that it is resolved, ’’ he
said.
Kachikwu noted that it would had been
a major issue for the country if there
was insufficient product on ground but
assured that NNPC would be able to
resolve whatever the situation was in a
few days.
A check by NAN on Sunday in Abuja ,
revealed that there were no queues in
most filling stations along Airport road
and Kubwa expressway.
Powered by Ru NAN reports that at NNPC outlet, Conoil
and NIPPCO filling stations along
airport road , motorists were buying
fuel with ease, except at the NNPC
mega station at the Central business
district, which a short queue .
A taxi driver , Johnson Adio said “ this is
not a serious queue , I spent just 20
minutes before buying , it is normal
with this station because a lot of people
like buying from them .
“ It was on Friday that we had a little
problem, but it is okay now, ” he said.
Also, along the Kubwa Express way,
there was no queue at AA Rano filling
station, Shema , Mobil and NNPC
stations .
NAN also reports that only few filling
stations like DAN oil along the airport
and the Kubwa express way were
closed.
(NAN )