The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says loading of petroleum products at depots will continue, to ensure uninterrupted fuel supply nationwide during the stay at home directive in many states.
The corporation said this was to ensure the presidential directive on the lockdown of some states was adhered to without concerns about availability of petroleum products.
In his nationwide speech on Sunday, President Muhammadu Buhari announced a ban on all movements in Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for an initial period of 14 days with effect from 11 p.m. on Monday, March 30.
The restriction of movement also applied to Ogun State due to its close proximity to Lagos, the president said; although the Ogun governor later secured a delay of the ban till Friday for his state,
The ban was to check the spread of COVID-19.
Although all businesses and offices within these locations were directed to be fully closed during this period, the president, however, made some exemptions.
The exemptions included food processing, distribution and retail companies; petroleum distribution and retail entities; power generation, transmission and distribution companies, and private security companies.
Following the announcement, the NNPC said it activated measures to guarantee seamless distribution of fuel across the country throughout the period of the lockdown and beyond.
The NNPC spokesperson, Kennie Obateru, said the Managing Director of Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), Musa Lawan, is committed to ensure the arrangement worked.
The head of the NNPC’s downstream subsidiary said its workforce has been mobilized to provide loading services throughout the period of the envisaged lockdown.
Mr Lawan reiterated the recent report by the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mele Kyari, who disclosed the national oil firm had 60 days sufficiency of petrol.
“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,’’ Mr Lawan said.
The PPMC boss called on motorists and other consumers of petroleum products not to engage in hoarding or panic buying of petrol. He said the corporation was ready to provide enough products across the country.
Mr Lawan also disclosed that two more petrol-laden vessels were expected to berth at the ports by Tuesday, noting 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), Mr Lawan assured that the PPMC was engaging with the stakeholders’ to address the issue of safety kits for tanker drivers. Premium Times
Pix: An NNPC Petroleum tanker
