Enhanced security will curb diversion, says IG
Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
The Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kolo Kyari and other stakeholders have assured that there will be enough petrol in the country for the Yuletide season and beyond.
This assurance was also on the heel of the guarantee by the Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Adamu that enhanced security will curb fuel diversion.
Kolo Kyari gave the assurance yesterday at a meeting of the stakeholders and other government agencies on supplies of petroleum products during the Yuletide season, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari.
He said they had taken stock of their readiness to meet supplies and distribution of petroleum products across the country for the festive period.
“We are very sure today that we have a very robust supply plan not just for Christmas but beyond. We are assuring Nigerians that the NNPC has made adequate arrangement to make adequate supply of petroleum products. If there are any issues, we have come together with other agencies of government to ensure those issues are resolved to ensure Nigerians have a very Merry Christmas this year,” Kyari said.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola said construction work was ongoing on some of the routes used for movement of cargo across the country.
He said that the contractors engaged by the ministry had been directed to provide some palliative measures to ease the movement of trucks and tankers expected to lift fuel during the period.
Some of the priority routes include Benin-Auchi-Okene, Warri-Sapele-Benin, Ilorin-Jebba and Calabar-Itu road among others.
On his part, the IG of Police Adamu, said given the heightened level of security during the period, the police and other security agencies will collaborate to ensure that the Christmas and even the New Year is celebrated without any criminal incidents.
He added that the NNPC and the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers (NUPENG), and others have also agreed to work with the police to ensure that petroleum products are moved freely across the country without inhibitions.
The representative of the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Tariworio Dick, who is the Chief of Training and Operations, Naval headquarters, assured that the Navy will ensure that there are no security breaches on the pipelines in the Atlas Cove. He added that they were in collaboration with NNPC concerning the clearance of vessels so that they will be allowed to discharge as soon as they are cleared.
“Actually we are going to prioritise, provide arms guard to move from Lagos to Port Harcourt and Calabar as we get the request from NNPC,” Rear Admiral Dick said.
The National Chairman NUPENG, Akanni Oladiti guaranteed that petroleum products will be made available across the country beyond the Yuletide.
