From Francis Ogar, Calabar, Joseph Amedu, Lokoja; Haruna Aliyu Usman, Birnin Kebbi, Jude Dangwam, Jos and Dan Amasingha, Minna

Two days after the Federal Government deduction in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) known as petrol from N145 to N125, some Independent marketers are yet to effect changes in the pump price.

DAILY ASSET, which monitored the development in Abuja and neighbouring states, reports that only major marketers like NNPC, had complied with the directives.

Marketers Adamant in Cross River 

In Cross River state, our reported noted that no filling station in Calabar and its environs had reversed the pump price from N145.

A visit to some filling stations along Murtala Mohammed Highway, MCC Round About and Margaret Ekpo International Airport Road, showed that there was no compliance from either the major or independent marketers on the reduction of pump price.   

Officials of these stations said that they still had enough stock and that it would take them up to two weeks before they exhaust the old stock.

However, DAILY ASSET observed that NNPC was completely empty without any tanker coming in from the Northern part of the country or east coming to lift products.

At the National Union of Petroleum Energy and Natural Gas Union (NUPENG) office, the National Treasurer Canaan David Otu told our reporter that NNPC and NUPENG were yet to meet over the new pump price regime.

DPR Mobilizes Enforcement in Kogi

The Department of Petroleum Resources in Kogi state has given an assurance that it will go into strict enforcement of the new oil pump price of N125 per litre as approved by the federal government.

The DPR also said that it will embark on massive sensitization and awareness creation on the need for all the Petrol Filling Stations across the state to comply with the new price as most of the stations visited by Our Correspondent in Lokoja, the state capital  on Thursday still sells fuel to motorists at the old rate of N145 per litre.

The Head of Operation who also doubles as Controller DPR in Kogi state, Engineer Musimiu Odofin while speaking to Our Correspondent on the development, said “we are meeting right now to map pout strategies for proper enlightenment and swung into action today  to enforce compliance. Both enforcement and sensitization must go together to achieve result”

Odofin said the monitoring operation entails working on the oil  pumps by technicians as they are automated.

The DPR Controller also told Our Correspondent that his organization will work closely with the Media in  its awareness creation to enable all the petrol filling stations obey the new approved price.

Kebbi Records Non-compliance

In what would have been a relief forced by the global fall in oil prices, President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to slash the pump price from N145.50 to N125 per litre.

To access the level of compliance with the new pump price regime Kebbi state DAILY ASSET correspondent undertook a survey to find out the truth or otherwise of compliance by visiting petrol stations within the state capital and the local governments.

At Jantul PRY filling station in Birnin Kebbi when visited, the pump attendant confirmed that they have not complied because their “old stock is yet to finish so until they exhausted before they will revert to the new price”.

Is the same story of non-compliance at Alliance filling station in Birnin Kebbi, the litre still reads N145,the manager too was not around but the pump attendant refused to be recorded but confirmed they didn’t comply.

At AP 2, along Bello Way in Birnin Kebbi, visited also didn’t comply with the new pump price regime the pump attendant there declined to speak while the litre reads the old price.

At Oando filling station still along Bello way in Birnin Kebbi also didn’t comply and the manager was also not around when visited and the pump price is still the old with no comments from anybody, motorists met there also confirmed non-compliance off record but merely said may God help us.

 NNPC Mega Station Jos Complies

The Nigeria National Petroleum Cooperation (NNPC) Jos Mega Station has complied with the new directives in the reduction of premium spirit pump price from N143 to N120 per litter.

A visit at the Mega station located along Dogon Karfe road in Jos by our Correspondent reported that motorist was taken fuel at the new pump price.

Unofficial report at the DPR office in Jos shows that efforts are been made to embarked on the enforcement of the new price directive’s by President Muhammadu Buhari on all filling stations in the state.

It would be recalled that Nigerians wake up with the new development of a reduction in the price of premium spirit popularly called petrol in the country.

This is coming shortly after the global economy crashed as a result of the ravaging coronavirus which Nigeria has recorded 8 cases already.

Marketers Insist on Old Prices in Minna

Following the global crash of  crude oil prices that necessitated the federal government  to announce  a reduction  in prices of petrol, marketers in Minna, Niger state have  refused to adjust their pump price.

DAILY ASSET correspondent in Minna gathered  that the decision of the  marketers may not be unconnected  to their inability to receive  directive from their head offices to effect the new price regime. 

It was gathered that  some of the marketers  are also of the view that they can not afford to reduce the price of the product when they  procured it at a higher price only to be sold at a lower price.

A  Manager at one of the  Con oil along Paiko road in Minna, who simply gave his name as Vincent said they are willing  to comply if they receive  directive from their headquarters.

“As am talking  to you, we are yet to receive directive from the PPMC, the regulatory body to the new adjustment of prices, we are hearing it on the news like every Nigerian”, he said.

According to him, for any major marketer to fully comply they need to recalibrate their dispensing  machines and this will take three to four days to effect.

However, at the  mega  NNPC service  station along  western  by pass by Brighter schools, technicians were seeing  busy with their machine  propably to  effect the new change of prices but, motorists  that rush in for early morning  school runs had procured the product at 143 naira per litre.

However, speaking on the federal, Alhaji Aliyu, a staff of FRCN Kaduna, popularly known as Jagaban Dude  among his colleagues said it is a well development as it will ameliorate the suffering of Nigerians. 

“It shows that this government is sensitive  to the suffering of Nigerians, nobody saw this coming and for them to announce it without  any prompting shows sensitivity “

Labour Reacts

Some labour union leaders, who expressed their dissatisfaction over the reduction in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from N145 to N130, said the Federal Government ought to have reduced it further.

The Deputy General-Secretary, United Labour Congress of Nigeria, Mr Chris Onyeka, said that the current crude price of 25 dollars per barrel was not reflective in the reduction to N130 per litre.

 According to him, the impact of the reduction will be minimal on the citizenry.

“Any reduction in the price, not just for petroleum products, is a welcomed development.

“However, whether it is commensurate with the realities on the ground is another thing altogether.

“If there is more than 50 per cent drop in the price of crude, which constitutes almost between 60 and 70 per cent of the entire cost of PMS, then, we expect an equivalent impact on the price reduction.

“We believe the price ought to have been less than the N130. The 25 dollars should have an impact of probably between N60 and N70 per litre.

“That is the kind of reduction we expect,’’ Onyeka said.

Also, the Lagos State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, Mrs Agnes Sessi, urged the government to also reduce the prices of other petroleum products to cushion the effect on the citizens.

“We commend the federal government for the good step.

“However, the current price is still high, because a barrel is down to about 24 dollars and may still reduce.

“So, we are still expecting a further reduction in petrol price,’’ Sessi said.

On his parts, the General Secretary, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Mr Olawale Afolabi, who expressed worry and scepticism over the reduction, said that there were implications.

Afolabi said that NUPENG had advocated that deregulation in the oil and gas industry should be done based on local production of refined petroleum products and not on importation.

According to him, deregulation solely based on importation will not serve Nigerians well.

“The cost of crude slashed to 28 dollars from the anticipated budget rate of 57 dollars and the price of petrol is reduced by N10 or N15.

“When the price increases and on this same premise of the so-called deregulation, it may be increased to about N200 or more; that is the implication,’’ Afolabi said. (NAN)