Long queues which re-surfaced at filling stations across the States of Federation due to scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, is gradually subsziding in some parts of Lagos metropolis.
Newsmen who monitored some petroleum products retail outlets Friday in Ikeja, Abule-Egba, Iyana-Ipaja and Oshodi areas of the state, observed that most of them were opened for business and attending to motorists without much hitches.
It was also observed that vehicular queues had reduced in some of the stations which were selling petrol between N162.5 and N165 per litre.
Speaking on the latest development, the National Operations Controller, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Mike Osatuyi, confirmed that some of the stations had received supply of on-spec products.
“They have received cargo already and they are discharging. So we should be experiencing more improved fuel supply this weekend,” Osatuyi said.
Osatuyi noted that the importation of off-spec petrol into the country could have been averted if those saddled with certain responsibilities had done their jobs properly.
He said going forward, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. and its trading partners, as well as other regulatory agencies, should ensure that due process was followed at all times.
Osatuyi said the importation of sub-standard petrol was an embarrassment to the government and to Nigerians, and such, should never be allowed to reoccur.
Recall that the scarcity was caused by the suspension of loading PMS for some days following the importation of a vessel of PMS containing methanol above the specified volume that was imported into the country.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, which confirmed the development, said they were able to identify, isolate and quarantined the limited amount of PMS affected.
Chief Executive, NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, had in a meeting Wednesday with downstream industry stakeholders, assured Nigerians that the country had 20 days sufficiency of PMS.
Ahmed also confirmed that loading was going on at depots in Apapa and Ijegun-Egba, Lagos, which would help close the supply gap created by the withdrawal of the sub-standard petrol from the market.
NAN
