Ike Amos
27 December 2017, Sweetcrude, Abuja — The Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association, DAPPMA, yesterday, faulted the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, claims of increased fuel supply, stating that presently, the tanks of its members are empty.
DAPPMA, in a statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Mr. Olufemi Adewole, stated that its members’ depots are presently empty, noting, however, that if the Petroleum Products Marketing Company, PPMC, can provide it with Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol, its members are ready to undertake 24 hours loading and truck-out.
He said, “While we cannot confirm or dispute NNPC’S claims of having sufficient product stock, we can confirm that the products are not in our tanks and as such cannot be distributed. If the products are offshore, then surely, it cannot be considered to be available to Nigerians.”
Adewole disclosed that its members had made and paid for large orders of fuel from the NNPC, which are yet to be supplied to the marketers.
“NNPC imports and distributes through DAPPMA, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN, and Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN. Our members pay PPMC/NNPC in advance for petroleum products, and fully paid up PMS orders that have neither been programmed nor loaded is in excess of 500,000 metric tonnes, about 800 million litres, as at today, and enough to meet the nation’s needs for 19 days at a daily estimated consumption of 35 million litres,” he declared.
Adewole blamed the unending fuel crisis on the challenges in the Direct Sales Direct Purchase, DSDP, scheme, rising price of the commodity in the international market and the high-interest rates charged by banks in the country.
He said, “We all know that we presently run a fixed price regime of N145 per litre for PMS without any recourse to subsidy claims, however, we also have no control on the international price of crude oil.
“We understand that the NNPC meets this demand largely through its DSDP framework; however, due to price challenges on the DSDP platform, some participants in the scheme failed to meet their supply quota of refined petroleum products, especially PMS, to NNPC. This is the main reason for this scarcity.”
Adewole added that since Hurricane Katrina, the international price of PMS had not dropped below $600 per metric tonne, while the exchange rate used and the interest rate charged by banks are N306 to a dollar and 25 percent respectively.
He noted that any time the NNPC assumes the role of the sole importer, there are issues of distribution because it is marketers who own 80 percent of the functional receptive facilities and retail outlets in Nigeria.
Adewole disclosed that oil marketers remain committed to the progress of the nation and its citizenry, stating that therein lies its profitability and fulfillment.
He said, “We, petroleum products marketers do empathise with all Nigerians who are going through difficulties at this time, spending hours on fuel queues because of the current fuel scarcity due to no fault of yours.
“Sadly, some people have blamed marketers for hoarders fuel. Unfortunately, this is so far from the truth. Hoarding fuel is regarded as economic sabotage and we assure all Nigerians that our members are not involved in such illicit acts.”
