According to the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, or IPMAN, measures are being taken to solve the present gasoline shortage brought on by flooding that destroyed some major roads and hampered the delivery of goods to various areas of Northern states.
The IPMAN Chairman for Northern Nigeria, Alhaji Bashir Danmalam, stated that the fuel shortage will soon end because there is adequate petroleum in stock in a press release made accessible to newsmen in Kano over the weekend.
Danmalam stated that efforts were being made by the NNPC limited and IPMAN to ensure a sufficient supply and distribution of the product.
According to the IPMAN Chairman, “about 200 trucks loaded with the commodity from Calabar are being expected in Abuja and other parts of Northern states for onward distribution to filling stations.
“The trucks are expected to come through Ikom, Ogoja, Katsina-Ala, Vandeikia up to Lafiya to Abuja,” he said.
Danmalam commended the Managing Director of Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC), Alhaji Isyaku Abdullahi for pledging to support marketers with diesel in order to reduce the hardship being experienced as a result of the high cost of the product.
He said following the flooding, most of the major roads being used by the marketers had gone bad as most truck drivers spend between eight and nine days, especially on Koton Karfe road before reaching their destination.
Danlam noted that some of the affected roads include Bida–Lemu-Zungeru Road, Minna-Tagina (6km from Minna Makonkele) and Tegina-Mokwa road as well as Mokwa-Makera to Minna (Bakane) Lambata-Lapai-Agaie-Bida Roads.
He explained that the NNPC had also mobilized the Federal Road Safety Corps personnel to assist in clearing the affected roads for smooth transportation of the commodity to northern parts of the country.
In addition, Danmalam said the NNPC had directed the CCC Chinese company and mobilized Dantata & Sawoe to repair the affected roads to enable the trucks to transport the product within the shortest time possible.