NNPCL retail outlets working to resolve fuel scarcity, NARTO confirms | The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News

With the Federal Government seizing the initiative to address fuel scarcity with the composition of a 14-man Steering Committee on Petroleum Products Supply and Distribution Management, chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, National President of Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Yusuf Lawal Othman, has applauded the move, which he said, would see to effective monitoring of products loaded from depots.

The team, which has Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva as alternate chairman, has among its terms of reference, to ensure national strategic stock management, visibility on Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) refineries’ rehabilitation programme and end-to-end tracking of petroleum products, especially Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), to eliminate smuggling.

Addressing journalists, yesterday, in Abuja, Othman decried what he called deliberate distortion of narrative surrounding the shortfall and non-availability of products by certain forces in the downstream sector, who keep blaming NNPCL retail outlets for the recurring scarcity.

Othman appealed to his members and others involved in haulage of petroleum products to refrain from activities that could sabotage government’s efforts to surmount the challenge crippling effective movement of goods and services.

He continued: “Let me use this opportunity to call on our law-abiding and patriotic members, who are into the transportation of petroleum products, to please desist from illegal bunkering, smuggling and diversion of petroleum products because these actions are detrimental to the economy of our great nation

“Relating to the current supply and availability of petroleum products is not unconnected with the current Russia-Ukraine war

Othman urged government to review the high operational cost of doing business faced by players in the haulage of petroleum products.

Source: guardian.ng