Nigeria rules out fuel scarcity during Xmas, New Year festivities

The Federal Government yesterday assured of adequate supply of petroleum products during the Yuletide and beyond. Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian Nation al Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kolo Kyari, gave the assurance after a stakeholders’ meeting on supply of petroleum products during the festive season.

The meeting was chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, at the Aso Villa, Abuja.Addressing State House correspondents at the end of the parley, Kyari said: “We are very sure today (yesterday) that we have a very robust supply plan not just for Christmas but beyond. We are assuring Nigerians that the NNPC has made adequate arrangement for adequate supply of petroleum products.”

He explained that the meeting was also “to take stock of our readiness for the festive period, particularly in terms of supplies and distribution of petroleum products across the country. The festive period will be enjoyed by Nigerians without any hitches, particularly during the Christmas and new year.”

Also speaking, the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, said his ministry had met with contractors and directed them to provide palliative measures with a view to easing the movement of trucks and tankers. Some of the affected routes include the Benin-Auchi-Okene, Warri-Sapele-Benin, Ilorin-Jaba and Calabar-Itu highways.

In his remarks, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, assured Nigerians of adequate security during the season, noting many families would be returning home from overseas to celebrate with their loved ones.Representative of the Chief of Naval Staff and Chief of Training and Operations at the naval headquarters, Rear Admiral Tariworio Dick, said the force was already involved in providing security at the Atlas Cove pipeline.

Representative of the Chief of Army Staff, Major General F. O. Omoiqui, pledged the military’s readiness for the task ahead.Besides, the representative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Commandant-General, Hillary Kelechi Madu, said the agency would partner with others towards providing security to critical national assets and infrastructure during the period.

The National President of Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Dr. Kassim Ibrahim Bataiya, said the group was committed to support NNPC and government in ensuring availability of petroleum products.National Chairman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Akanni Oladiti, pledged the readiness of his union to facilitate the distribution of petroleum products to all the nook and crannies of the country.