Petrol supply: Return to official pump prizes excites Warri residents

Residents of Warri and its environs have commended officials of the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) over what they called

‘efficient strategy’ in the supply of petroleum products which has led to the crash of petrol otherwise known as PMS to the official pump prize in most filling stations.

Some of the motorists, who spoke with Daily Sun correspondent, who went round filling stations where petrol was being sold at the official rate with less queue, expressed relief over the easy with which they were able to get the product to buy without the difficulty they had to go through the previous week.

Speaking at the Total Filling station along the Airport Road in Warri, Mr. Andrew Okorodudu, a secondary school teacher, said he cannot remember the last time he would enter a filling station and buy petrol and the official rate with so much easy in a very serene environment.

According to him, “This is unbelievable and I think we should commend the officials of PPMC for waking up to their responsibility of making the products available and ensure effective monitoring of its movement to the approved final destination where the masses can easily get it to buy at an affordable prize”.

Mrs. Roseline Nwachukwu, a trader at the popular Igbudu market who spoke with Our Correspondent at Rain Oil Filling Station, along the PTI road, said she was shocked when she drove into the filling station with less queue and was told they were selling at the official rate.

“This is too good to be true. I’ve lost the memory of the last time I drove into a filing station like this and got petrol to buy at the official rate without stress. This feat is quite commendable and those who have made it possible should be appreciated. I only hope and pray they are able to sustain this so that the burden on the masses can be reduced”, she stated.

At the premise of the Warri PPMC Depot, the agents of the various subsidiaries of NNPC including the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Directorate of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and Petroleum Equalization Fund (PEF) operating within the depot attributed the success in petroleum distribution to the effort of the 5-man Special Task Force Monitoring Team at the Warri depot.

They explained that the Special Task Force headed by Mrs. Chuddy Okocha, who was redeployed to the Warri depot since December when the team was inaugurated had been working round the clock to achieve this success as they had to evolved a new strategy in petroleum products distribution and monitoring.

Efforts to get the leader of the Task Force Mrs. Chuddy Okocha, to disclosed its distribution strategy that led to this success story yielded no result as she referred Our Correspondent to the Public Affairs Department at the NNPC Corporate Headquarters, Abuja.

But a member of the team who spoke under anonymity, said the team success was due to the resolve of the team to see to it that all the marketers (Independent or Major) who are ready to comply to the approved pump prize got the product as at when due and also ensure an effective monitoring of the product to its destination to avoid diversion.