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The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) says Nigeria currently has 20 days sufficiency of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) hence there is no need for panic buying by the public.
The downstream petroleum regulatory agency said it was also working round the clock with other stakeholders to address the issue of substandard PMS, also known as petrol, imported into the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive NMDPRA made this known during a meeting with downstream industry stakeholders on Wednesday in Lagos.
The meeting had in attendance top officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd., the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and the Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN).
Ahmed said the imported PMS was discovered to contain methanol above the specified volume , adding that a technical team comprised of stakeholders was working towards resolving the issue.
He said: “Today, I am happy to say that loading has been going on in most of the depots because we have been able to identify, isolate and quarantine the limited amount of gasoline that was affected by the methanol volume that was discovered.
“We have vessels that have arrived the country recently.
“At least six arrived in the last few days ordered by the NNPC carrying a total volume of close to 300 million litres just to close to gap created by those vessels we have withdrawn from the system.
“All in all, as at today, we have about 20 days sufficiency of PMS in the country. Our ideal days of sufficiency is 30 but the withdrawal of the vessel created the gap in our 30 days sufficiency.
“Again, with aggressive importation by the NNPC, this will be closed in a few days from the data we got from the NNPC’s import programme.
“Loading is also ongoing in most of the depots that have confirmed spec products so there is no need for panic. Hopefully by tomorrow or early Friday, Lagos will will be cleared.”
According to him, there is a 9,000MT vessel that is currently about to discharge at the Apapa Port.
He said this vessel would be providing PMS to major marketers including OVH Energy, TotalEnergies, 11 Plc, Con Oil and Ardova Plc.
Ahmed said there were also vessels on ground to supply products to DAPPMAN members while the technical team would continue to work on how to salvage the withdrawn products in their depotsut materials, it is about individual who can move the country forward as, according to him, “We have the material but what we are contending now is everybody must come together, make sacrifices and see how we can move forward”.
The Governor stressed that “Nigerians are waiting for PDP, Nigeria is bleeding, Plateau State is not an exception, it is not about Christians or Muslims, it is not about North or South, the killings, the insecurity, the hardship and poverty is everywhere. We are more concerned about the insecurity in Nigeria, the only hope Nigeria has now is for the PDP and so it requires collective efforts of everybody. If we don’t work as a team, Nigerians will not be happy.”
Speaking on his ambition in 2023, he stated, “I have not told you that I am running for any presidential election, we want our Party to be united. What is important is that you must have a Party before you talk of election; without a party, what is the essence of running for election? Plateau is ripe for the PDP to take over because APC has performed woefully as far as Nigeria and the State are concerned. I stand to be challenged by anybody.
“Every individual has to keep his aspiration and focus on how the party will be united to salvage the country, to salvage Plateau State.”
Governor Wike was earlier at the Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos where the former Governor of the state, Jonah Jang is being arraigned.
Jang is standing trial alongside Yusuf Pam, an ex-cashier in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the State, on alleged N6.3billion fraud charges brought before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The two accused persons were first arraigned before Justice Daniel Longji in March 2018 on 17-count charges bordering on criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of public funds but they had since pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The case is currently before Justice Christine Dabup, who started hearing on the matter afresh following the retirement of Justice Longji in December 2019, after hearing the matter 34 times.
Wike, clad in a dark blue suit with a white shirt underneath,arrived the court premises at 9:50 am in company of other PDP chieftains and moved straight to courtroom where the trial was already in progress.
