By Michael Eboh
The Federal Government, yesterday, entered into an agreement with the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company, PPMC, as well as major and independent oil marketers, to move 700 truckloads of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to Abuja and also increase fuel supply across all the nooks and crannies of the country with immediate effect.

The agreement was reached in Abuja after a stakeholders meeting organised by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, chaired by Mr. Taiye Haruna, Permanent Secretary of the ministry.

The meeting was attended by the chief executive officer of the Department of Petroleum Resources, Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA; Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC; Major Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN; Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN; Capital Oil, Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association, DPPMA and the Petroleum Equalisation Fund, PEF, among others.

Speaking at the end of the meeting, Mr. Taiye Haruna noted that the fuel situation was embarrassing to the country and called for drastic measures to be taken to address the crisis.

He disclosed that the oil marketers have agreed to totally address the shortage witnessed across the country before June 13, 2015.

He said that a task force comprising all stakeholders has been constituted to monitor loading and distribution of PMS, adding also that the PEF will track all the trucks using the Aquila Programme to avoid diversion of the products.

Haruna further noted that the persistent gridlock on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway has been a major setback in efforts to end the fuel scarcity, stating that about 2,800 fuel tankers are currently stuck in the traffic.

According to him some trucks that are supposed to lift fuel from the depots at Apapa for onward distribution to retail outlets across the country have been stuck in the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway gridlock for the past 10 days.

He said, “We agreed at the meeting that the gridlock at the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway in Lagos is affecting the loading and distribution of fuel from the depots to retail outlets across the country. To this end, we have agreed that the logjam should be cleared so as to ease loading and distribution of products.

“We have agreed to work with the Lagos State Government, Petroleum Tanker Drivers, PTD, and the National Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO and other stakeholders to clear the logjam.”

He further stated that the DPR has been directed to ensure that products are delivered to retail outlets and also dispensed to motorists at the correct price.