FG reassures Nigerians on availability of fuel

THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has assured Nigerians that the queues at filling stations across the country will disappear before the end of this week.

Group Executive Director Commercial and Investment, Aisha Abdulrahman, who stated this Tuesay in Abuja when the Supervising Minister of Information, Chief Edem Duke led a team of reporters for on-the-spot assessment of the situation in the filling stations, said the glitch that disrupted fuel supply in the last few days had been addressed, adding that the NNPC now had adequate stock that could last between twenty and thirty days.

Abdulrahman encouraged filling stations to complement NNPC retail outlets by selling petrol for 24 hours in order to clear the fuel queues across the country.

She discouraged speculation, panic buying and hoarding because the NNPC had flooded the country with petroleum products.

In his remarks, the Supervising Minister of Information, Chief Edem Duke denied accusations by the political opposition that there was fuel scarcity, saying all the depots across the country were wet with fuel but the queues in the filling stations were as a result of speculation and panic buying.

He berated the opposition for cashing in on the fuel situation to score cheap political point and assured that the Jonathan Administration would remain responsive to the welfare and economic well-being of the citizens.

“A good government cannot inflict scarcity on its people.  It cannot bite its nose to spite its face, especially at a time when there is political tension.There is no government worth its onions that will say rather than focus on strategies to win election, let us deprive the citizenry of adequate supply of petroleum products.

“So when people are sitting in Dubai and issuing statements that are unfounded, I think we as the conscience of the nation should know better,” he stated.