As Nigerians brace for fuel scarcity, with many buying for future reserves, residents of Rivers State have been assured of the availability of the product by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).
This was disclosed by the Port Harcourt chapter of the department, stating that the Southsouth region received delivery of petroleum products from 147 trucks.
Explaining further, the DPR Controller in Rivers State, Bassey Ikanga, said that there was no need to panic, as the state had a sufficiency level of “40 truck daily”.
He added that the department was monitoring every petroleum product that was dispensed.
Ikanga said, “In Rivers State, we do not have problems. As we speak, we are discharging 32 metric tonnes of PMS at Okrika Jetty.
“Yesterday, (Tuesday) we had about 147 trucks of petroleum products go out from this axis to various locations especially, in the South-South region.
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“Out of these, what came to Rivers State was 54 trucks, meeting our sufficiency level. Sufficiency level is 40 trucks daily, but yesterday, we distributed 60 trucks. The previous day, we also had sufficient products.
“So, there is no reason for panic buying. Whatever that is released is being monitored by us. If you go out now, you will see our team. We have three teams going out to different areas daily to monitor.
“What is being monitored is what we call the QQIS. That is Quality, Quantity, Integrity and Safety. We want to be sure that what is given out meets the value price.
“I will advise residents here not to panic buy. Today, so many filling stations are selling. Those that are not selling may be waiting at the depot to collect fuel and take to their stations. There is no shortage.
“As we speak with you, minus the 32 metric tons that are being discharged, we have about 180 million litres of PMS in various depots in Rivers.
“Other states in the region also take from here, but we must ensure that priority is always given to Rivers State. So there is no reason for panic buying.”
Little Info…
At the start of the month of March, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had disclosed that there would be no increase in the price of fuel.
It noted that there was no plan to increase the price of fuel as that would frustrate ongoing arrangements with organised labour and stakeholders.
The NNPC warned oil marketers against creating artificial scarcity by hoarding fuel.
It said, “The Corporation was not contemplating any raise in the price of petrol in March in order not to jeopardize ongoing engagements with organized labour and other stakeholders on an acceptable framework that will not expose the ordinary Nigerian to any hardship.
“NNPC also cautioned petroleum products, marketers, not to engage in an arbitrary price increase or hoarding of petrol in order not to create artificial scarcity and unnecessary hardship for Nigerians.”
