News

Petrol queues spread to Lagos

Published

5 months ago

July 9, 2024

Admin

The scarcity of petrol that started in the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) six days ago has spread to Lagos.

Yesterday, motorists at Nigeria’s commercial hub, spent hours at the few filling stations selling the product.

An on-the-spot assessment by our reporters showed that many of the stations that dispensed the product were independent marketers.

Many major marketers did not sell petrol.

The situation presented an opportunity to the independent stations to raise pump prices. The cost of a litre ranged between N610 to N800 depending on the area of purchase.

Petrol attendants and black market hawkers also made quick money from desperate motorists.

One of our reporters who drove from Akoka to Oshodi observed that only one filling station (Mobil ) at Vono Bus Stop in Mushin was open for business.

There were also queues at filling stations operated by TotalEnergies and Tecno Oil in Festac Town. NNPC Limited’s petrol station on Ago Palace Way had long lines of motorists waiting to buy the product.

At NNPC Limited filling station on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, a motorist, who identified himself simply as Richard, said he willingly offered N1,000 to an attendant to hire a keg and buy petrol for him.

‘’Apart from the N1,000, I gave him N500 for his effort. There was no way I could have joined the queue because I had an emergency to attend to,’’ he told The Nation.

In the FCT, the queues lengthened with a litre of petrol selling for between N720 and N820 at independent stations. At those run by major marketers, it N690.

The NNPC Limited retail outlets that operated still sold for N617 per litre but with very long vehicular queues.

On the other hand, black market operators sold the product for as much as N1,100 to N1,300 per litre.

But as motorists and commuters groaned, the NNPC Limited warned against hoarding of petrol. It assured of improved in supplies soon.

In a statement by its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Mr. Olufemi Soneye, the NNPC Limited blamed the scarcity on a number of factors, including thunderstorms and floods.

The company explained that the unfavourable weather conditions did not only affect ship-to-ship (STS) transfer of petrol but ‘’truck load outs and transportation of the product to retail outlets.

It added that there was need for caution to be upheld during rainstorms and lightning because of the inflammability of petroleum products.

Soneye said in the statement that there was no cause for alarm as ‘’loading has commenced in areas where these challenges have subsided’’

The statement reads in part: “The NNPC Ltd wishes to state that the disruption of fuel queues seen in the FCT and some parts of the country, were as a result of disruption of ship-to-ship (STS) transfer of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, between Mother Vessels and Daughter Vessels resulting from recent thunderstorm.

“The adverse weather condition also affected berthing at jetties, truck load-outs and transportation of products to filling stations, causing a disruption in station supply logistics.”

He added that adherence to safety regulations as advised by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) is mandatory as ‘’any deviation could pose severe danger to the trucks, filling stations and human lives.’’

Soneye also said the scarcity was compounded by consequential flooding of truck routes especially at coastal corridors to the FCT.

Executive Secretary, Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN), Clement Isong is on the same page with the NNPC Limited on the cause of the scarcity.

Isong said: “The supply chain was disrupted. For a few days last week, there was heavy rain which disrupted operations at depots and loading bays. Petrol cannot be loaded during rainstorm and lightening.

‘’The roads were flooded and trucks could either not move or were moving slowly. So we lost two or three days of loading activities and it’s the backflow of this that has led to the queues. But the queues will disappear because petrol is very much available, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

News

PHOTO: Courtesy visit to Priesthood Orphanage by Just Friends Club of Nigeria Founder

Published

2 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Naijablitznews

Dr. (Mrs) Blessing Echenwo, left, founder of Priesthood Orphanage, Karamajiji, Abuja and Mrs. Maria Cardillo, a member of Just Friends Club of Nigeria, during the visit of the club to the orphanage in Abuja…recently

News

Just in: NYSC Releases Batch ‘C’ Corps Members Call Up Letters

Published

3 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Naijablitznews

The National Youth Service Corps has announced the release of the 2024 Batch ‘C’ Stream I call-up letters for prospective corps members.

The corps made the announcement in a series of post on its official X (former Twitter) handle on Monday.

It said orientation camp for the stream is expected to start on November 27, 2024 and closes on December 17, 2024.

According to the post, “some prospective corp members posted to Lagos will have orientation in Ogun and Osun.

“While some of those posted to Zamfara will have in Kebbi and Sokoto etc”

The corps, however, advised prospective corps members to print and sign an addendum, which will be submitted during registration at the orientation camp.

Tips to guide Deployed Prospective Corps Members

Do not travel to the Orientation Camps at night. Break your journey when necessary.
Report on your scheduled reporting date.
Apply for spelling error and name rearrangement on your dashboard.
After documentation in the Camp, you cannot change your Date of Birth, Date of Graduation, Course of Study and Passport Photograph.
Do not report to the Camp if there is any discrepancies in your course of study or with the Date of Graduation on your Statement of Result and your Call-up Letter. Contact your Institution to sort it out.
ATTENTION TO ALL 2024 BATCH ”C” STREAM I MARRIED FEMALE PROSPECTIVE CORPS MEMBERS

All married female Prospective Corps members (PCMs) who are deployed to States where their husbands are not domiciled should report to the nearest NYSC Orientation Camp for their State of Deployment to be changed.

They are to report during the period of Registration at the Orientation Camps with the copies of their marital and other relevant documents as evidence. Once the change is made it will reflect on theirM dashboard for reprinting.

News

Oba of Benin to withdraw suit as Okpebholo restores rights

Published

9 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, and the Benin Traditional Council may withdraw the suits they filed against the state government as Governor Monday Okpebholo, on Sunday, restored the full statutory rights of the Oba and reversed the policies of the previous administration that impacted the Benin Traditional Council.

A statement on Sunday by Okepebholo’s Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, said the governor abolished the new traditional councils in Edo South created by the immediate-past governor, Godwin Obaseki.

Okpebholo also backed the Federal Government’s recognition of the Oba’s palace as the custodian of repatriated Benin artefacts looted during the 1897 British colonial expedition.

Providing an insight into the governor’s gesture, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Samson Osagie, said it signaled the resolution of the crisis between the Oba of Benin and the Edo State government leading to lawsuits duringt the Obaseki’s administration.

Osagies said, “The cases in court are cases which the Oba of Benin himself and the Benin Traditional Council instituted against the state government, and they are all civil matters. And you know that in civil suit or in any suit, parties are encouraged to settle amicably.

“So, if the parties are already settling and one side is already meeting the condition of settlement, the next step you are going to hear is that the party who went to court, which is the Oba of Benin, and the Benin Traditional Council, will instruct their counsel to withdraw the cases from court and that will be the end of the matter.

“The two parties are now settling for harmony and peace to reign, so the government is doing its own side of it.

“This statement is a prelude to discontinuing all legal proceedings with respect to the twin issues of the concession of the Oba Akenzua Cultural Centre by government to the Benin Traditional Council for 30 years and the creation of additional councils.”

The statement by Okepebholo’s Chief Press Secretary outlined the administration’s commitment to restoring the dignity and authority of the Benin monarch.

“This administration also hereby abolishes the new traditional councils in Edo South, created by the last administration,” the statement noted.

Additionally, Governor Okpebhol revoked the decision of the Obaseki’s administration to convert the Oba Akenzua II Cultural Centre into a motor park.

The government announced plans to restore the cultural centre to its original purpose.

“This administration is restoring the Oba Akenzua Centre to a suitable condition for its original purpose,” the statement added.

The governor also reinstated the financial entitlements of the Benin Traditional Council, ordering that the status quo before the creation of the abolished councils be maintained.

According to the statement, Okpebholo affirmed support for the Federal Government’s official gazette, which recognizes the Oba of Benin as the rightful owner and custodian of the repatriated Benin artefacts.

He also distanced his administration from the Museum of West Africa Art, instead backing the Benin Royal Museum project to house the artefacts.

“The Federal Government has also issued a gazette for the recognition of ownership and custody of the repatriated Benin artefacts to the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II,” the statement explained. “Governor Okpebholo respects the rights and privileges of the traditional ruler of Benin kingdom… and pledges the support of his administration to ensure the monarch plays his role as the custodian of the rich cultural heritage of the Benin people.”

Okpebholo reiterated his administration’s respect for traditional institutions and vowed to avoid interference in the internal affairs of the Benin Traditional Council. “The Oba of Benin, as the father of all Benin people, is the sole custodian of the customs and traditions of the Benin people, and my administration respects customs and traditions in the land,” he stated, emphasising the government’s efforts to uphold the cultural and historical integrity of the Benin Kingdom.