July 08, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has blamed the fuel queues in Abuja and other parts of the country on the interruption of ship-to-ship (STS), transfer of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), due to a recent thunderstorm.
It said the adverse weather conditions affected berthing at jetties, truck load-outs, and product transportation to filling stations, leading to disruptions in station supply logistics.
In a statement issued on Monday, by its Spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, the company explained that due to the flammability of petroleum products and in compliance with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) regulations, it was impossible to load petrol during rainstorms and lightning.
“Adherence to these regulations is mandatory as any deviation could pose a severe danger to the trucks, filling stations and human lives.
“Similarly, the development was compounded by consequential flooding of truck routes which has constrained the movement of PMS from the coastal corridors to the Federal Capital, Abuja”, he said.
Soneye assured that NNPC is working with relevant stakeholders to resolve the logistics challenges and restore a seamless supply of petrol to affected areas.
“Already, loading has commenced in areas where these challenges have subsided, and we are hoping the situation will continue to improve in the coming days and full normalcy will be restored”, he said, while cautioning against panic buying and hoarding of petroleum products.
