Category Oil & Gas

Fuel
By Habibu Harisu
Sokoto, April 2, 2020 (NAN) Sokoto State Government on Thursday commended Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) over fuel availability in the state and warned marketers against selling products above regulated price.

Alhaji Chika Umar, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce made the commendation during a visit to Mr Muhammad Makers, DPR’s Field Controller in charge of Sokoto and Kebbi.

Umar said he led government delegation over products scarcity in the last four days and expressed delight with assurance from DPR for improvement in the coming days.

”After monitoring the situation in the metropolis on Thursday, I felt we should return to DPR and expressed appreciation over improved fuel availability in the state ” he said.

The permanent secretary called on marketers to desist from hoarding products and selling above government approved price.

Responding, Makera said that 88 trucks of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS)  were allocated to the state between Monday and Wednesday, so, there was no reason for scarcity.

” On March 30, the state got 35 trucks of PMS, 31 trucks on March 31 and 22 trucks on April 1.

” Out of these figure, on Monday, 24 trucks was for Sokoto, Tuesday, 23 trucks while 19 trucks on Wednesday also for Sokoto township ” Makera said.

He noted that measures were in place to ensure strict compliance as punishments awaits any defaulting marketer.

According to him, DPR has intensified surveillance on fuel stations to ensure  availability in Sokoto and Kebbi.

Makera urged fuel marketers and the general public to adhere to safety guidelines on containing the spread of Coronavirus.

He said that filling stations must ensure customers abide by the social distancing measure while queuing to buy fuel.

He also urged them to provide hand sanitisers and face masks at their stations. (NAN)
HMH/CHIN/IU
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Edited by Chinyere Bassey and Isaac Ukpoju

PETROAN
By Edith Ike-Eboh
Abuja, April 1, 2020(NAN) The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) have urged the Federal Government to set up intervention fund to help cushion losses incurred by marketers over reduced pump price of petrol.

The association made the call in a statement jointly signed by its President, Dr Billy Gillis-Harry and the Secretary, Mr Ogbuefi Erasmus, in Abuja, on Wednesday.

“We, the members of PETROAN as obedient citizens of Nigeria and partners in progress with the government, are very willing to obey and comply with the new reduction in pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol.

“We are confident that this will help reduce the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Nigeria economy.

“However, our association wishes to bring to the notice of the federal government, the challenges of Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners in Nigeria.

“Our members have recorded massive losses from March 19 when the first reduction was announced by the federal government.

“With further reduction in price by the federal government, our members again will lose a sizable amount of money which will impact negatively on their buying power.

“This will inevitably spiral down to reduction in patronage of the government approval petroleum products distribution depot.

“We, therefore, wish to appeal to the federal government and other relevant stakeholder to come to our aid by urgently by setting up an intervention fund to be midwifed by the CBN and disbursed to our members in form of soft loans to cushion the effect of the PMS price reduction on our businesses,” it said.

The association commended the government on the move to further reduce the price of petrol to touch the lives of Nigerians positively.

“We wish to, therefore, seize this opportunity to express our heartfelt appreciation and happiness at this edifying gesture by the Federal Government under the distinguished leadership of President, Muhammadu Buhari, and the Minister of State for Petroleum,  Chief Timipre Sylva,” added.

It noted that the move was a show of excellent leadership in times of need and in the face of a global crisis. (NAN)
ENO/CHOM/MNA

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Edited by Chioma Ugboma/Maureen Atuonwu

Gas
By Solomon Asowata
Lagos, April 1, 2020 (NAN) The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) says selling of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, also known as cooking gas, is exempted from the lockdown put in place by the government to contain the Coronavirus pandemic.

NALPGAM made the clarification in a statement issued by its Executive Secretary, Mr Bassey Essien, in Lagos on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that President Muhammadu Buhari had in a nationwide broadcast on Sunday announced the lockdown of Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) effective 11p.m. on March 30

Some state governments had also made similar pronouncements restricting human and vehicular movements within their domains to contain the spread of the virus.

Essien noted that NALPGAM, thereafter, sought clarification from the Lagos State Ministry of Energy and Resources on the inclusion of gas plants and retailer outlets as essential services to the people.

According to him, the clarification was also sought to avoid the overzealousness of security personnel in enforcing the order.

He said the Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, granted the approval that gas plants and cooking gas retailers and their personnel should be classified as essential service providers.

Essien said the government agreed that their product was essential in ensuring the sustainability of the people’s continued stay at home to curtail the spread of COVID-19.

He said: “The fact that people have to stay indoors for two weeks in the first instance, entails that households must cook and eat for the stay at home order to be effective.

“While the directive listed petroleum products and petrol stations as essential services, the association needed a clarification on the status of gas filling plants and cooking gas retail outlets as cooking is essential to the survival of households.

“Therefore LPG plants are part of the essential services and are thus exempted from the lockdown.

“They should thus be granted access to the smooth running of their facilities and operations and also free movement of their personnel from their homes to the facilities.”

Essien noted that they must, however, maintain all safety and hygiene measures put in place to curtail the spread of the virus, saying that their personnel must have their identity cards for ease of identification.

He enjoined other states to emulate Lagos State in exempting LPG retailers from the lockdown, noting that a letter had been forwarded by NALPGAM to the Nigeria Governor’s Forum in that regard.

Essien advised the citizens to support the government in respecting and observing all the precautionary measures put in place to tackle the pandemic.

He also thanked individuals and organisations that had made financial, material donations and offering expert and professional services to contain the spread of the virus. (NAN)
ASO/AO/AJA
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Edited by Angela Okisor/Adeleye Ajayi

Depot
By Edith Ike-Eboh
Abuja, March 30, 2020 (NAN) The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says its depots will be in operations to ensure availability of petroleum products in the country.

The Managing Director of the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), Mr Musa Lawan disclosed this in a statement issued by the NNPC’s spokesman, Dr Kennie Obatero in Abuja, on Monday.

He said that the move was to ensure that the Presidential directive on the lockdown of some states was adhered to without concerns about availability of petroleum products.

He added that the activation was also one of the measures to guarantee seamless distribution of fuel across the country throughout the period of the lockdown and beyond.

“The PPMC workforce have been mobilised to provide loading services throughout the period of the envisaged lockdown.

“If you recall, two days ago, the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Malam Mele Kyari, stated that we have 60 days sufficiency of Premium Motor Spirit.

“That is very correct, as a matter of fact, we have about 2.68 billion litres of petrol in-country and in marine storage. At the prevailing daily consumption rate of 45 million litres, that translates to roughly 60 days,’’ he said.

Lawan called on motorists and other consumers of petroleum products not to engage in hoarding or panic buying of petrol, noting that the Corporation was ready to provide enough products across the country.

He also disclosed that two more petrol laden vessels were expected to berth at the Ports by Tuesday, adding that the vessels would be discharging 250 million litres of petrol.

On the recent complaints of non-availability of personal protective equipment against the Coronavirus for tanker drivers by the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Lawan assured that the PPMC was engaging with the stakeholders to address the issue of safety kits for tanker drivers. (NAN)

ENO/OIF/IU

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Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo and Isaac Ukpoju

Fuel

By Abba Bamalli

Kano, March 29, 2020 (NAN) Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has lauded the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for ensuring stable supply to marketers in depots in spite of the Coronavirus crisis.

Bashir Danmalam, IPMAN Chairman in Kano, made the commendation while speaking to newsmen at Kano NNPC Depot on Sunday.

Danmalam also commended the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) for prompt services during the stay at home order in many parts of the country.

“We commend the patriotic zeal and commitments of the NNPC leadership across all levels as well as the commitment of the leadership of Petroleum Equalization Fund (PEF) in ensuring the availability of the petroleum products”, he said.

According to him, the effort would also complement the Federal Government’s efforts to cushion the effects of the restriction measures put in place to curb the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Danmalam said that IPMAN in collaboration with NNPC Kano depot have intensified efforts to ensure that all filling stations provide uninterrupted service to the people.

He assured  that the collaboration between the organisation and the corporation would ensure steady supply and distribution of petroleum products to retail outlets in the Kano zone and the country.

The  chairman also commended Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje for ensuring that petrol tankers were exempted in the restriction on vehicular movements in the state. 

He said: “Loading activities are going on unhindered in the depot and we are working round the clock to see that economic activities are not disrupted.

“We shall continue to observe strict personal hygiene, social distancing and heed advice of health officials,” he added. (NAN)

AABS/RSA

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Edited by Rabiu Sani Ali

Petrol

By Edith Ike-Eboh

Abuja, March 29, 2020 (NAN) Nigerian National petroleum Corporation  (NNPC) has urged Nigerians not to engage in panic buying of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), as the country has adequate stock of the products to last for over 60-days.

Mr Mele Kyari, Group Managing Director of the corporation, gave the assurance while briefing newsmen on Sunday  in Abuja.

Kyari assured that the NNPC had the support of all stakeholders to ensure adequate supply of petroleum products in the country.

He said: “There is absolutely no scarcity anywhere; our supply is robust, we have fuel that will last this country even for 60-days if assuming we do not import any.

“Of course people because of the pandemic, stay at home, may try to conserve fuel, there is no need to do this.

“Maintain your normal life, we have secured all assurances that trucks will be moving freely across the country throughout this period of difficulty and supply will be sustained’’.

He appealed to Nigerians no to flood fuel stations as there was no need for that.

Commenting on National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) order to petrol tankers drivers to vacate the depots, Kyari said that the corporation would continue to engage them.

“No restrictions; as we speak now loading is going on, trucks are moving around, no action like that will come to fruition,’’ he added. (NAN)

ENO/CHOM/RSA

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Edited by Chioma Ugboma/Rabiu Sani Ali

NNPC

By Edith Ike- Eboh
Abuja, March 27, 2020(NAN) The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has donated 17 items to support the isolation centre at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital Gwagwalada to combat Coronavirus in the country.

The Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Malam Mele Kyari, disclosed this  at the unveiling of the item at the centre in Abuja on Friday.

Kyari said that government alone would not be able to do all, adding that  corporate organisations  should complement government’s  efforts.

“Government alone cannot do this, health systems world over are getting overwhelmed.

“Countries with stronger health systems are struggling to contain the disease. it is obvious that to fight this menace, we all have to collaborate to ensure that Nigeria defeats this virus,” he said.

He said that the oil and gas industry was collaborating to strengthen Nigeria’s response to the pandemic, adding that the effort was cordinated by the minister of state for petroleum resources, Chief Timipre sylva.

“We will support government agencies in providing urgently needed resources, human and material, required to curb this menace.

“NNPC on its own is providing the following 17 items to support the isolation centre at the University of Abuja Teaching hospital in Gwagwalada,” he said

The item include Oxygen generating plant, Ambulances , 10 Ventilators, patient monitor, Hospital bed, Bedside cupboards, overtop tables and air conditioners.

Others are full automated 5-part Haematology Analyzer, Semi -Automated Chemistry Analyser,UPS, Pro- express Samsung printer, Binocular Microscope, Table top centrifuge and pippettes.

The GMD reiterated that prevention remained the only defense to the pandemic virus currently and urged Nigerians to stick to the basic guide by the health authorities.

“We are all part of history, the year 2020 will go down as a year of the first major pandemic in the modern world.

“We are acting locally as part of the global effort in combating this scourge. Our response today, therefore, will go a long way in determining how well history will judge us,” he said.

In his remarks, the Chief Medical Director of the Hospital, Prof. Bissallah Ekele, commended the Corporation for its kind gesture.

He said that NNPC was the third group to have donated to the hospital to help in curbing the Coronavirus pandemic in the country.

” This is the second or third time we are receiving huge support, we earlier had support from NCDC, FCT Administration and JAMB.

“NNPC donation is a big one and the most significant. I can say that this is prime in all that we have received so far,” he said.

He commended the Corporation and promise to make effective use of the equipment.

Also, the Managing Director of NNPC medical, Dr Mohammed Zango, said that the corporation would continue to be responsible in helping to serve the needs of Nigerians.

He said that the items was tailored to support the needs of the centre and ensure that Nigerians get the best of the services.

He urged the managers of the facilities to make judicious use of the donated items.(NAN)
ENO/ISMA

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Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz