PETROAN Blames PMS Scarcity On Regulators

The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has attributed the continued scarcity of  Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly called “Petrol” in the country to failure on the part of the midstream and downstream petroleum regulatory agencies.
Stating this during and interview with newsmen, the Chief of Staff to the national President of the association, Mr Emmanuel Inimgba, siad buck passing, or playing the blame game, in the matter of adequate supply of petroleum products in the country will not yield any positive results.
He explained that  it was not correct that the problem of fuel scarcity emanated from Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Pipelines and Products Marketing Company Limited (PPMC), but rather that the National Watershed Development Programme for Rainfed Areas (NWDPRA) should live up to its regulatory responsibility and ensure an end to petrol scarcity in the country.
“The buck passing and putting all the blame on A B and C, NNPC, PPMC is not true and it’s not correct. The NWDPRA is meant to be held responsible because they are the regulators.
“Whatever it is, they cannot deny the fact that they’re the regulators, they are.  It’s a big shame. I’m sorry for Nigeria. We have refineries that are not working, the products that are made to come ibstandard, off-spec, which now brings to the fore that the refineries are not working”, he said.
For a more concrete solution to the issue, Inimgba called in the Federal Government to repair the refineries, if it truly want to put an end to the scarcity in petroleum products.
The PETROAN Chief of Staff also said that Nigeria midstream and downstream petroleum regulatory agency should take responsibility if marketers sold petrol above the official pump price of N165 per litre.
“One other complex issue is getting the products from the tank farms… these people sell above government-approved price to our marketers and retailers as well and then you still expect them to sell at government-approved price?
“Now, who is supposed to control this price and check whatever it is that they’re doing? It is still this NWDPRA.
“They should wake up, they should stand up. Is it because somebody has not been fired or there’s not been a shake-up in that NWDPRA?
“If the tank farms are selling above the government-approved price, then this is sabotage to both Nigerians and the government as well and also to the marketers”, he concluded.

By: Tonye Nria-Dappa