*Says association owes Corporation N26.7bn
Ike Amos
27 December 2017, Sweetcrude, Abuja — The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Wednesday, tackled the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA), accusing the group of lying and frustrating efforts targeted at ending the worsening fuel crisis.
In a statement signed by its Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, the NNPC described as very unfortunate DAPPMA’s claims on the fuel supply situation, especially Premium Motor Spirit (petrol).
Ughamadu disclosed that contrary to their claims, NNPC had supplied appreciable volume of PMS to DAPPMA, Major Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) to rid the challenges currently being experienced in the supply and distribution of petroleum products in the country.
He said, “NNPC regrets that DAPPMA which members had taken receipts of products from Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of NNPC and owe the company to the tune of N26.7 billion as at December 21, 2017, has the audacity to indict NNPC unjustifiably.
“The statement by DAPPMA that the current hiccups in the supply of products were due to the inability of the Direct Sale Direct Purchase (DSDP) partners of NNPC to deliver on their business obligations is unfounded and self-indicting as many of DAPPMA members patronize the same DSDP international counterparts as the corporation.
“Despite the concession by the government giving access to DAPPMA to obtain FOREX at an official rate of N305 per dollar for PMS import, their members have not been able to do so, leaving NNPC as the sole supplier of PMS to the Nigerian market.”
He assured the public that despite the increase it effected in the supply of PMS in the December 2017, the NNPC had programmed to supply 1.2 billion litres of the white products in January 2018, translating to about 40million litres of PMS supply per day, adding that ordinarily, Nigeria consumes about 700 trucks, about 27 million to 30 million litres per day.
He also stated that despite the current challenges, there are no plans to increase PMS pump price above N145/litre, adding that NNPC would continue to maintain the ex-depot price of N133.28 per litre which guarantees the pump price not exceeding the N145 per litre capped by the government.
“All stakeholders are implored to support the efforts of the government to bring a speedy end to the current fuel distribution challenges being experienced in parts of the country as this is not the time to play the blame game,” he added.