Leadership (Abuja)
Ese Awhotu
5 November 2009
Abuja — Major oil marketers operating in the country yesterday confirmed that they have secured an approval from the Federal Government to import petroleum products into the country.
The Executive Secretary of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Femi Lawore, told LEADERSHIP that the Federal Government through the Department of Petroleum Resources(DPR) has approved licences to its members for the purpose of fuel importation. He said based on this approval, Nigerians should expect fuel very soon.
However, Lawore explained that the approval was in two stages, stage one being the approval of fuel importation license by DPR and the second stage is for major oil marketers to approach the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Authority(PPPRA) for the release of the license.
The PPPRA is currently boiling, as its staff on Monday passed a vote of no confidence on it's management and protested the appointment of Ahmadu alli as the chairman of the agency's board.
Lawore gave assurance that the oil marketers would resume importation of petroleum products very soon.
The major oil marketers, which would be receiving licenses from PPPRA, are Oando, Chevron, Mobil Nigeria Plc, Total and Conoil.
Meanwhile, Nigerians yesterday continued to lament the long hours they have to wait at fuel stations before they can get petrol to buy.
At the filling stations lying right in front of the Police Headquarters In Abuja, where one of the biggest black market for fuel is currently booming, motorists called on the Federal Government to expedite action with a view to resolving the situation.
Along the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Road, where numerous filling stations are located, only a few of them currently sell petrol.
A motorist named Daudu who told LEADERSHIP as at 4.30pm that he has been on the fuel queue since 12noon, described the development as unbearable.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) maintained that it has sufficient fuel to last the nation for 42 days, Nigerians are hoping that the DPR along with other agencies of government will address the problem of hoarding and selling of the product with one nozzle at filling stations nationwide.
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