Platforms Africa had exposed the fuel crisis and “conspiracy of silence” in a report on Wednesday, January 18, 2023
President Muhammadu Buhari has constituted a 14-man Steering Committee on Petroleum Products Supply and Distribution management to find a lasting solution to disruptions in the supply and distribution of petroleum products.
This came seven days after the Platforms Africa exclusive report detailing hike in prices of the product and “conspiracy of silence” over the crisis.
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The Steering Committee, which will be chaired by Buhari, has the Minister of State for Petroleum Resource Chief Timipre Sylva as Alternate Chairman.
Sylva, in a statement by his Senior Adviser (Media and Communications), Horatius Egua said the Committee would, among other things, ensure transparent and efficient supply and distribution of petroleum products across the country.
To further ensure sanity in the supply and distribution across the value chain, Sylva directed the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to ensure strict compliance with the government approved ex-depot and retail prices for PMS.
The Minister also directed the NMDPRA to ensure that NNPC Limited, which is the supplier of last resort, meets the domestic supply obligation of PMS and other petroleum products in the country.
He further directed that the interest of the ordinary Nigerian is protected from price exploitation on other deregulated products such as Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).
“The Federal Government will not allow misguided elements to bring untold hardship upon the citizenry and attempt to discredit government’s efforts in consolidating the gains made thus far in the oil and gas sector of the economy,” he said.
Other terms of reference are to ensure national strategic stock management, visibility on the NNPC Limited refineries rehabilitation programme and ensure end-end tracking of petroleum products, especial PMS to ascertain daily national consumption and eliminate smuggling.
Members of the committee also include Minister of Finance, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, National Economic Adviser to the President and Director-General, Department of State Services (DSS).
Others are Comptroller-General, Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Member (EFCC), and Commandant-General, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)
The Steering Committee members also include Authority Chief Executive NMDPRA, Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, G r o u p Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Limited, Special Advisor (Special Duties) to the HMSPR while the Technical Advisor (Midstream) to the HMSPR will serve as Secretary.
The PMS approved ex depot price is N148.17 per litre as at 2022 while NNPC retail stations dispense at N179, other filling stations dispense between N180 and N184.
Platforms Africa had exposed the fuel crisis and “conspiracy of silence” in a report on Wednesday, January 18, 2023.
The report headlined; “Petrol Hits N400 Per Litre In Lagos, Nigerians Query ‘Media Silence,’” showed that marketers, including the NNPCL increased the petrol pump price for second rime in less than 60 days.
This, which called attention of major media organisations to the news, was followed by a statement from MajorvOil marketers Association of Nigeria.
In the same vein, the National Association of Energy Correspondents have called for a speedy resolution of the crisis, which had caused untoward hardship to millions of Nigerians.