NUPENG decries petroleum importation delay

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) yesterday appealed to the federal government to step in and ensure timely approval of importation of petroleum products.
The Lagos Zonal Chairman of NUPENG, Mr Tokunbo Korodo, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
The call by NUPENG is coming on the heels of similar appeals by the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria and other interest groups in the oil sector.
“The danger in the delay is that it will cause artificial scarcity when you are not allocating as at when due.
“There is no way the distribution chain will not be disrupted and when the distribution chain is disrupted, it is going to affect the loading system at the depot.’’
According to him, if the loading system is affected there is nothing anybody can do about it.
“If it is not properly handled, then Nigerians will have to be on queue for hours before they get fuel.
Korodo said that although the year could be challenging for government because of the 2015 elections, priority must be given to things that must be done
“Government should be more proactive and do the right thing at the right time.
“We know that it is more challenging for government this time around but whatever they have to do to sustain the supply of petroleum product must be done.
“ I know this year is the year of politics but they should not abandon their responsibilities.
“They should face the primary assignment they canvassed for before they were elected into office,’’ he said.
NAN reports that the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) has yet to give approval for the importation of petroleum products this year.
PPPRA gives the approval every quarter.
The non-release of the approval has apparently rattled oil marketers, who expressed fear that the country may be in for another round of acute fuel scarcity.
However, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has assured that fuel scarcity crisis is not about to occur in the country.
Oil-producing Nigeria has often faced fuel scarcity crisis but the administration of President Goodluck appears to have checked the problem in recent times. (NAN)