Petroleum Product Retailers Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria, PETROAN, has revealed that this week, its members will start lifting petroleum product from port Harcourt refinery. Publicity Secretary of PETROAN, Joseph Obele disclosed this during an interview with Punch. According to Obele, the Port Harcourt refinery since it commenced operations in November; it has been supplying fuel to only the retail outlets owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPC only.
Although he revealed that marketers still load fuel from the NNPCL, however, the product they buy from the NNPCL currently are still the one that were imported.
Obele express worry that the NNPCL was still selling PMS to retailers in Port Harcourt at prices higher than that of Lagos State, pleading that the refinery should sell at N899 per litre instead of N970.
“NNPC is still telling us to buy at a rate different from the rate they are selling to Lagos at the moment because of logistics. So, Port Harcourt retail outlet owners are not really comfortable with that. Hence, the Port Harcourt refinery will start servicing us this week.
“We are also requesting that the same rate NNPC is selling to our members at Lagos should be the rate they will be selling to us over here in Port Harcourt too. We are not really comfortable with that disparity,” he disclosed.
However, when he was asked whether or not marketers in Port Harcourt and environs have started buying the product directly from the NNPC refinery, Obele replied, “No, but it will commence this week. The trucks loading out are for the NNPC retail outlets only.”
Meanwhile, he pleaded with the NNPC, saying “We in Port Harcourt, we plead with the NNPC to sell to us at the same rate they are selling fuel to Lagos marketers. The difference is too much. It is N899 per litre in Lagos but N970 in Port Harcourt. It is far higher than that of Lagos.
“The way they explain it, it is like their own vessel will be bringing it and shipping it over to Port Harcourt depot for us to buy. So, we are now saying that since you will be selling directly to us from the refinery, you now have the stock available. Sell to us at the same rate you are selling to Lagos marketers.
“So, that’s where we are right now. Our request is that the NNPC should sell to us from the Port Harcourt refinery at the same rate they are selling the product to those in Lagos.”
Obele reiterated that the stocks owned by NNPC at Lagos are imported stocks.
After series of postponement by the NNPC of its rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery, the gigantic 60,000 barrel refinery is finally resuming operation.
NNPC disclosed through its spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye that the rehabilitation activities is near completion as the refinery is currently producing naptha, a product that is used to blend petrol.
