No Scarcity of Kerosene

Fri, Aug 9, 2013

By publisher

5 MIN READ

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|  By Vincent Nzemeke  |

THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and its downstream subsidiary, the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company PPMC, have assured that there is adequate supply of kerosene even beyond the daily national demand in the country contrary to stories of alleged scarcity of the product in some sections of the media. The assurance was contained in a statement signed by Tumini Green, acting group general manager, Group Public Affairs Division of NNPC. Green said the clarification was necessitated by reports of scarcity of the product in some parts of the country.

According to the statement, the NNPC, through its subsidiary, PPMC, supplies between 10 to 11 million litres of kerosene daily which is distributed through allocations to licensed marketers such as the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association Of Nigeria, IPMAN, Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association, DAPPMA, Major Marketers Association Of Nigeria MOMAN and NNPC Retail Limited, who sell to the general public through their retail outlets.

The statement also noted that the NNPC retail outlets and some other outlets sell kerosene at the government approved price of N50 per liter while the other marketers who purchase the product from PPMC at government regulated price of N40.90k sell above the recommended price.

Explaining the importance of ensuring that kerosene and other products reach consumers at approved prices, Green said it is the responsibility of other regulatory agencies to fix the price of kerosene and enforce compliance with the government approved prices. He added that NNPC and PPMC have continued to sanction marketers and vessel owners who are suspected of involvement in sharp and unwholesome practices.

The statement also revealed that the federal government has intensified efforts to ensure the availability of gas as an alternative domestic fuel by rehabilitating and commissioning the gas plants at Ibadan, Kano, Gusau, Enugu and Gombe. Advising members of the public not to panic, the corporation promised to sanction those who sell higher than the approved prices.

PHCN: New Bidders to Take Over

THE federal government has set September 21, as the date to hand over the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, to the private investors. Benjamin Dikki, director-general, Bureau of Public Enterprises, PBE, said that the PHCN privatisation was expected to earn the federal government about $2 billion. “To purchase this Power Holding Company, over $2 billion will be paid by the bidders, and that is because the investors can see a clear investment horizon,” he said.

He said that the investors do not have to go and lobby anybody and that all they need is to meet the technical requirement. “When they pay by September 21, we will hand over the companies to them or anybody who pays earlier and then they begin to operate. Labour issues have been resolved and the implementation committee on settlement of the PHCN staff terminal benefits commenced payment of N118 billion to the over 20,000 PHCN staff, at the beginning of this month.”

The BPE boss said the privatisation programme of the federal government had significantly opened up the Nigerian economy by creating the right atmosphere for greater private sector participation in several key sectors. He noted that the telecommunications sector stood out in terms of attracting massive foreign investment, which he put at about $40 billion to date.

“The Nigerian economy is becoming more and more liberalised. So, we in the Bureau of Public Enterprise are not surprised. That is what we have been working for. That is the benefit of the reform, which the Bureau of Public Enterprises has been spearheading and also in consonance with the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. What this transformation agenda is doing is to create an enabling environment for private sector investment in the country and that has given rise to reform activities in various sectors.”

Warning to Oil Bearings Communities

THE Delta State government has advised oil bearing communities to desist from obstructing the operations of oil and gas companies in the state. Omamofe Pirah, state commissioner for oil and gas, gave the advice at the town hall meeting organised by Pan Ocean Oil Corporation for its seven host communities in Amukpe. “The governor is happy with Pan Ocean for toeing the path of peace by holding this town hall meeting. It means well for the host communities.”

Besides canvassing for dialogue and patience as a means of peaceful resolution of contentious issues and conflict management, the commissioner assured that the state government was always open to consultations on all issues. He decried pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft with the attendant negative social and economic effect on the host communities.

Pirah noted that the state government was losing economically as a result of the act, and the host communities are also losing their lives, environment and aquatic lives. He urged community and opinion leaders to advise and work against pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft.

In his remarks, Emmanuel Omo Irabor, assistant general manager, Pan Ocean, recalled the Jesse pipeline fire disaster and condemned the vice.”It is not a responsible business. It is not right. It is not lawful. It is a very risky business,” he said.

Describing the town hall meeting as a forum for interaction between Pan Ocean and its host communities to know the challenges on both sides and deliberate on them, he explained that it was also for the company and its hosts to know themselves better.

— Aug. 19, 2013 @ 01:00 GMT