The House of Representatives has urged the Nigerian Petroleum Company Limited, NPCL, to open more petrol depots in Nigeria.
This is part of the urgent measures taken by the Nigerian government to curb the scarcity of the product.
The House also called for proper regulation of the operations of private depots that received supplies from the NPCL only to resale at exorbitant prices to pump stations.
It passed the resolution during plenary after considering a motion on “Need to Establish More Petrol Depots in Nigeria,” moved by Rep. Uju Kingsley.
The motion reads; “The House notes that there are insufficient depots to store petroleum products in Nigeria;
“Also notes that an estimated 100 million litres of bad petrol imported in Nigeria have caused fuel scarcity in Nigeria with the consequent effect of adulteration of the product by roadside black market vendors;
“Concerned that the proliferation of adulterated petrol has caused severe damage to vehicle engines and inflicted more pains on the people and despite seeming efforts to address the fuel scarcity, long queues and shortage of the product still persist at fueling stations across the country;
“Aware that according to media reports, in a rare admission of responsibility, the Nigerian Petroleum Company Limited (NPCL) accepted that there had been a lapse in its supply chain;
“Also aware that according to information available on the official website of the NPCL, Nigeria has 5,000 kilometres of pipeline network, twenty-one (21) storage depots, and nine (9) LPG depots which are grossly inadequate to effectively serve the 36 States of the country as well as the Federal Capital Territory, hence the recurrent fuel scarcity;
“Disturbed that many other depots are owned by private individuals who receive fuel from the NPCL and then sell at exorbitant prices, causing unnecessary irregularities in the price of the product across the country;
“Cognisant that if more fuel depots are established, fuel scarcity will be curbed while more employment opportunities will be created as a result, thus improving the country’s economy;
“Resolves to urge the Nigerian Petroleum Company Limited (NPCL) to establish and equip more depots across the country and strictly regulate the operations of private depot owners;
The House mandated its Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) to ensure compliance.”
Mercy Chukwudiebere
