News
Relief In Sight As Trucks Begin Petrol Lifting At Dangote Refinery
There are indications that Nigerians may heave a sigh of relief from the scarcity of petroleum in the country as a fleet of trucks began petroleum loading at the Dangote Refinery, yesterday.
A fleet of trucks was seen lifting the Premium Motor Spirit otherwise known as petrol at the 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery, located in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State, yesterday.
No fewer than 300 trucks from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) arrived at the refinery to lift the first batch of petrol.
The trucks, belonging to the NNPCL, were seen in videos posted on the X handle of the Dangote Group.
The tweet read, “First set of trucks set for loading of PMS at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.”
Another tweet read, “NNPC begins PMS lifting at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.”
The $20bn Lekki-based facility is equipped with 86 gantries making it possible to load 86 trucks simultaneously.
At the start of the process, 10 trucks drove into gantries while their compartments were filled with petrol from a computerised gadget, the Nigerian Television Authority reports.
The loading of the Dangote petrol signifies an end to the month-long debate over the quality and sale of the product.
Many Nigerians have also expressed optimism that the lifting of petrol at the Dangote Refinery may likely end the current fuel scarcity in the country.
The Tide reports that many filling stations across the country have shut down due to the inability of trucks to load petrol at the various depots, while a few stations that have the product sell between N900 and N1,500.
However, one major issue that remains unresolved is the price at which the 650,000 barrel-per-day refinery would sell the product to oil marketers and subsequently, the public.
Meanwhile, the NNPCL, in a tweet on Saturday, noted that hundreds of trucks would be deployed to the refinery yesterday (Sunday) for PMS loading.
The national oil firm stated, “In preparation for the Dangote Refinery’s scheduled petrol loading on Sunday, September 15, 2024, NNPC Ltd has been mobilising trucks to the refinery’s fuel loading gantry in Ibeju-Lekki. As of Saturday afternoon, NNPC Ltd had deployed over 100 trucks, with hundreds more en route.”
The Federal Government, through the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, announced last Friday in Abuja that the NNPCL would be the sole buyer of petrol from the refinery, adding that the refinery would commence the distribution of petrol to marketers yesterday with an initial 25 million litres per day.
This followed the national oil firm’s statement that it was not the exclusive off-taker of products from the Dangote refinery and that the refinery was free to sell its petrol to any marketer.
The minister said, “I am glad to announce that all agreements have been put in place, and the loading of the first batch of PMS, as already announced by NNPC, will commence on Sunday, September 15, 2024. And from October 1, NNPC will commence the supply of crude oil to the Dangote refinery to be paid in naira.
“In return, Dangote refinery will supply PMS and diesel of equivalent value to the domestic market to be paid in naira. But for now, PMS will only be sold to NNPC. NNPC will then sell to various marketers.”
The National Publicity Secretary, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Chinedu Ukadike, said the market should be open for all in line with the willing-buyer and willing-seller commitment earlier made by the corporation.
“It should be open for all in line with the willing-buyer and willing-seller comments made by the NNPC. We are also looking at how to build our logistics and come up with our price,” he stated.
Also, the National President, Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Association of Nigeria, Billy Gillis-Harry, raised concerns over the risks of creating a new domestic monopoly in the oil and gas sector.
Gillis-Harry said, “Right now, even on Saturday, that business (petrol) is going to start rolling out tomorrow (Sunday), we don’t know what the price might be. Nobody has informed us about anything; we are not aware of what the government is doing.
“We don’t know any of the pricing templates yet or the matrix that will bring about the pricing template. We have been asking Dangote or anybody that is in charge of this transaction to be transparent, but somehow, we have not got any of that information.
“We are about to leave NNPC monopoly from importation and now we are also going to have that in a domestic environment, that portends danger for the industry.”
News
Elele Etche community Gets Interim Youth Leaders ….As traditional rulers Warned Against land grabbing
Elele Community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers state has inaugurated an interim Youth Executive to run the affairs of the Elele Central Youth Association for the next six months.Among those inaugurated are, Comrade Godspower Anaele as the youth leader, Godspower Nwala, deputy youth leader and Barrister Nnamdi Abel as General Secretary/Legal Adviser.Also inaugurated are,Mr Ifeanyi Emmanuel as Assistant General Secretary,Chibuike Nwamkpa as financial secretary, Michael Ogundu , public Relations officer,Miss Faith Nwaobilor , welfare officer and Charles I K.Agugoesi as provost.The Ochimba of Elele community Etche local government Area ,HRH Eze Innocent Anaemeje who inaugurated the youth executive warned them against involvement in anti social behavioursEze Anaemeje particularly warned them against involvement in land grabbing stressing that having eliminated land grabbing from the area, the community will frown at any attempt to bring it back.He said though the interim youth executive has six months to run the affairs of the Elele central youth Association, the community might return them if their performances are satisfactory.In an interview with newsmen, The Elele Etche monarch said his kingdom has only one youth body which is the Elele Central Youth Association, warning that private youth bodies will never be allowed to operate in the kingdom.He said his kingdom is laying a foundation that will promote hardwork and respect to constituted Authoritaties especially from the youth, adding that nobody irrespective of his position will be allowed to hold the community to ransomAccording to him, the youth of Elele Etche must respect their elders , the government and cultivate the virtues of hardwork and honesty, stressing that nobody will be allowed to bring shame to the kingdom.Anaemeje who is the chairman welfare committee of The Etche Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers used the occasion to call on both the Rivers state Government and Etche Local Government Council to assist the community with the rehabilitation of its dilapidated health centreHe said the health centre which was constructed through communal efforts has become dilapidated leading to its abandonment.Eze Anaemeje also called for Government intervention on the epileptic power situation in the area and congratulated Governor Siminalaye Fubara for his reinstatement after six months of emergency rule in the state.Also speaking the Ezeoha of Etche ethnic nationality,HRH Eze Chima Nwagha called on youths in the community to respect their eldersHe warned that no indigene in the area should be allowed to use his position to destroy the kingdom and advised the newly inaugurated youth association to rule with the fear of God.
By: John Bibor & Birane progress
The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Borno State chapter, has urged Nigerians to make the right choices and take responsibility for the nation’s progress instead of blaming leaders for its challenges.
Borno CAN Chairman, Bishop John Bogna Bakeni, made the call in Maiduguri on Saturday, stressing that national renewal requires both accountable leadership and responsible citizenship.
He said the transformation of Nigeria’s economic and political systems depends on deliberate moral choices and collective action by citizens.
“As I said in my message on the pulpit, Nigerians must make the right choices. We must hold our leaders accountable at all levels, but we must also take responsibility,” Bishop Bakeni stated.
He added that it is not enough to desire a better country without consciously choosing good over evil and making efforts to build it.
Bakeni noted that problems such as kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, and corruption stem from the failure of families to instill discipline and values in their children.
“We cannot continue to blame the government alone. Parents must monitor their children and instill discipline and honesty in them. Evil thrives when families abandon their moral duties,” he warned.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists has commended the Department of State Services for the prompt release of two journalists, Ruth Marcus and Keshia Jang of Jay 101.9 FM, Jos, who were recently arrested while covering the funeral of the late mother of the All Progressives Congress National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda.
The NUJ National President, Alhassan Yahya, in a statement on Sunday, said the union welcomed the intervention of the DSS Director-General, Mr Oluwatosin Ajayi, which led to the immediate release of the journalists.
Our correspondent gathered that the journalists had captured footage showing DSS operatives preventing some pastors from gaining access to the church premises where the funeral service was taking place.
Security officials were screening attendees, and in the process, some clerics were denied entry.
Marcus and Jang had been detained after posting a video report on social media showing a confrontation between a cleric and security operatives at the funeral, an incident that raised widespread concern over press freedom and the right of journalists to perform their lawful duties.
The statement partly read, “We are encouraged by the decisive intervention of the DSS Director-General, who not only ordered their release but also personally reached out to the Union to tender his apologies. He has also reiterated his directive to DSS operatives to conduct thorough investigations before making arrests.”
The NUJ president described the gesture as a positive shift in the culture of Nigeria’s security institutions.
“The willingness of the DSS leadership to admit errors, apologise where necessary, and commit to reforms is an important step in strengthening public trust and confidence in the agency,” he stated.
While commending the development, Abdullahi urged the DSS and other security agencies to sustain the new approach and respect the rights of journalists at all times.
“Press freedom is the bedrock of democracy, and journalists must never be treated as adversaries for performing their constitutional duties. We call on the DSS to institutionalise accountability by sanctioning officers whose actions undermine democratic values and constitutional rights”, he said.
He stressed that only by enforcing discipline within the ranks can such progress be consolidated.
Abdullahi further assured that the NUJ remains committed to constructive engagement with security institutions to strengthen mutual understanding, promote professionalism, and safeguard both press freedom and national security.
“We urge our members across the country to remain vigilant, courageous, and professional in the discharge of their duties,” the NUJ president added.
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