WITH arrival of over nine ships Thursday laden with petroleum products, round the clock lifting of products by truckers has continued.
Visits to major depots show frantic efforts and order in the loading of trucks for distribution to every part of the nation following partial collapse of national pipeline across the nation due to vandalism and poor maintenance over the years.
Many fuel tankers were seen loading the premium motor spirit (MPS) yesterday and today (Friday) at various jetties and tank farms including those belonging to NIPCO, Folawiyo, Capital Oil, Rahamaniya, De Jones and Integrated Oil.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachickwu, had last week assured Nigerians that the persistent petrol scarcity would end by yesterday, April 7.
However, some of the depot owners, who spoke to our correspondent said the ministerial position was a reality but what can cause a brief delay in the nationwide saturation can be the lifting and distribution due to bad roads and other logistics.
b, doubted the feasibility of the April 7 target, due to the huge logistics involved in moving the petroleum products across the country.
One of the managers who pleaded anonymity told Daily Champion that “Don’t forget them these products have to be distributed to the various filling stations across the country by road. It’s a logistics nightmare when you put the state of our roads under consideration”.
The manager said “For more than 10 years am in this business, I have not seen this much supply of products at a time across all the jetties. So Nigerians will get tired of buying fuel with ease at least from Monday if not weekend.
Again, Nigeria Port Authority (NPA’s) daily publication of operational activities listed the vessels expected as Oceana with 24,000 metric tonnes of PMS, Han Scholl with 31,123 metric tonnes, Nina with 329,000 metric tonnes and Champion with 23,000 metric tonnes. Others are Torm trinity with 30,000 metric tonnes and Cumbria with 10282 metric tonnes.
Besides, about 23 other ships laden with food items, containers, general cargoes among others are also expected to arrive the port between April 8 and April 26.