The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, has ordered the deployment of employees of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in filling stations across the country for effective monitoring of the fuel distribution system.
The corporation disclosed this on Monday in a statement signed by its Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, saying the move was in a bid to ensure the total eradication of queues from filling stations across the country.
Kachikwu was quoted to have said at an emergency meeting with senior staff members of the corporation that although there were a number of challenges in the supply and distribution system hampering efficient distribution of products across the country, it was high time the NNPC rose above the problems by ensuring that the special intervention supplies provided by the government were not diverted or hoarded.
“This calls for effective monitoring of the supply system, especially at the end points, to ascertain that what is trucked out from the depots is delivered at the designated fuel stations and dispensed to the public in the most efficient manner. We need you to be out there to help achieve this; we can’t be at ease while Nigerians are going through so much pain to get fuel,” he said.
He urged them to work towards achieving zero-queues at their respective stations as soon as possible, adding that they should be ready to sacrifice their Christmas break if need be.
Also speaking at the emergency meeting, the Group Executive Director, Commercial and Investment, NNPC, Dr. Victor Adeniran, called on the staff members on monitoring duties to work closely with the Rapid Response Team by reporting any situation that required urgent intervention such as low stock, delayed arrival of trucks and underhand dealings.