Maureen Aguta
As the fuel scarcity across the country lingers, even as the Dangote Refinery as commenced roll out of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) als known as petrol, the Dangote Group has stated that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has not yet begun lifting petrol from its refinery.
The Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, who made this known in a statement signed on Wednesday, said the issue of fixing the price of petrol lifted from Dangote refinery does not arise, as it is yet to finalise its contract with the NNPCL.
According to Chiejina, the petrol market is strictly regulated, hence Dangote refinery cannot determine, fix, or influence the product price, as that decision falls under the purview of relevant government authorities.
The statement read, “Our attention has been drawn to a headline “NNPC lifts Dangote Petrol, sells at N897 per litre”.
“We would like to state that NNPC has not commenced lifting of refined Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, from our Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
“Therefore, the issue of fixing the price of petrol lifted from our refinery does not arise, as we are yet to finalize our contract with NNPC.
“The PMS market is strictly regulated, which is known to all oil marketers and stakeholders in the sector, hence we cannot determine, fix, or influence the product price, which falls under the purview of relevant government authorities.
“We urge the public to disregard the headline as it is misleading and does not represent the true position in this matter.
“We are guaranteeing Nigerians of exceptionally high quality petroleum products that will be readily available all over the country.”
“The fuel scarcity we endure today is not just a mere inconvenience; it is a calculated perpetuation of suffering. Under Mele Kyari’s leadership, the situation has gone from bad to worse, with no end in sight. What has he done to alleviate this crisis? It is clear he seems intent on maintaining a status quo that benefits only a select few while the masses suffer.
“Why do we, the people, have to endure endless queues, inflated prices, and the daily uncertainty of whether we can fuel our vehicles or power our homes? The answer lies in the gross incompetence and mismanagement that have become the hallmarks of Mr. Kyari’s leadership.”