By Yemie Adeoye
LAGOS — Ahead of the 10-day target set by the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, for the elimination of the artificially induced scarcity and hike in the price of House Hold Kerosene, HHK, the NNPC, weekend, stepped up measures to ensure that the deadline is met.

Group Managing Director of the corporation, Engr. Austen Oniwon, assured Nigerians during a working visit to Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, WRPC, and the Nigerian Gas Company Limited that the corporation was working assiduously towards achieving an unimpeded flow of the product.

On Friday, a vessel, MT Tereno, laden with 30,000 metric tonnes of kerosene berthed at the Apapa jetty for onward discharge into the depots of members of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN, for distribution and sale in their various outlets across the country.

“As you can see, the refineries are also working and so I believe that the kerosene from the three refineries in the country and the imported ones will permanently put to rest the artificially induced scarcity of the product in the country,” Oniwon said.

He said the daily consumption of kerosene in the country was between eight to nine million litres but the corporation has decided to exceed that figure in order to bridge the artificial gap noting that the current challenge is as a result of inefficient distribution.

To correct the inefficient distribution challenge, the NNPC GMD said the Corporation with the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, have set in motion monitoring team to ensure effective distribution of kerosene to the marketers in order to avoid diversion of the product to illegal channels.

Engr.Oniwon called on the Management and staff of WRPC and NGC to take safety as a priority and avoid acts that would endanger lives and properties.

He assured that the management of the Corporation would do everything possible to continue to boost the morale of its staff in order to get their maximum contribution towards the growth and development of the NNPC.

The NNPC helmsman expressed optimism that by the time the 7th National Assembly passes the Petroleum Industry Bill into law, the Corporation would be in a better position to maximise its potentials to the fullest.