3rd July, 2011
Some major and independent marketers have alleged that the NNPC, and Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) are under-supplying them kerosene.
Some of the marketers, who spoke with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos on condition of anonymity, said the situation had resulted in the artificial scarcity and hike in the price of the commodity.
“The inability of NNPC and PPMC to flood the market with the commodity caused the scarcity, and hike in the price of the commodity,” one of them said.
The source said that less than five million litres of kerosene were being distributed to the marketers daily, as against 12 million litres the NNPC claimed were being supplied.
The marketers alleged that 30 of them were being allocated a truck of 33,000 litres daily.
They, however, suggested that they should be given licence to import the commodity as part of efforts to address the lingering scarcity of kerosene.
“We urge the government to put in place appropriate mechanisms to ensure that the product is available throughout the country.
“Importation of kerosene by NNPC alone cannot solve the problem of scarcity; government should give licence to independent marketers to fast-track the importation of the commodity to ease scarcity,” a marketer said.
A source in the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), who preferred anonymity, also advised the NNPC to flood the market with the commodity, and publish daily and monthly allocations to the marketers.
The source said NNPC should increase supply of kerosene to the marketers and other depot owners to ease scarcity as well as reduce the price of the commodity.
Dr. Levi Ajunoma, Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division of NNPC, said about 50,000 metric tonnes of kerosene had been allocated to major and independent marketers, as well as depot owners within the last one month.
NAN, however, reports that in spite of this, kerosene still sells at between N120 to N135 per litre in some filling stations.