Fuel scarcity: NNPC orders special supply of petrol during Yuletide

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, has ordered relevant agencies of government to commence special supply of petroleum products across the nation during Yuletide.

Kachikwu’s directive was contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by Ohi Alegbe, Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.

The order was directed at agencies like, Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, PPMC, and Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA.

The statement explained that the special supply intervention would entail the ramping up of additional supply via massive truck-out to guarantee product penetration to the nooks and crannies of the country.

It further noted that daily fuel truck out to Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, Enugu, Ibadan and Jos had been increased to enhance free flow of products across the country.

According to the statement, “NNPC is consolidating its strategic alliance with some major depot owners and oil marketers with strong regional logistics outlay in those areas to ensure maximum infiltration of products.

“The collaboration would be especially in the hinterland ahead of the Christmas and New Year festivities.’’

The statement further cautioned members of the public against from hoarding, diversion and panic buying of petroleum product.

Stressing that the diversion of petroleum product was an economic crime, the state oil corporation warned that it would not hesitate to hand over perpetrators of the act to security agencies for prosecution.