Managing director of Capital Oil and Gas Ltd., Lagos, Mr Ifeanyi Ubah, has said that the company supplied more than 100,000 litres of kerosene to consumers weekly in the metropolis.
Ubah told the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) on Saturday in Lagos that the company had sufficient kerosene in stock that could last for months.
He said that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) allocated the product to the company for sale to end-users.
According to him, every local government in the state had been assigned two trucks of 22,000 litres each weekly for sale.
Ubah also said that the company had trained about 114 local government employees on the use of the computer to guarantee adequate and effective sale of kerosene to buyers, and that 114 trucks drivers were also being trained on how to effectively distribute the product.
“We have successfully engaged about 228 workers, both local government staff and truck drivers to be trained on effective kerosene dispensing in Lagos,’’ he said.
Ubah said that ‘direct-kero’ trucks would be stationed on Saturday at Surulere, Ikosi/Isheri, Kosofe, Apapa and Amuwo Odofin local council development areas and lauded the initiative of Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, minister of petroleum resources, and the NNPC, for their good intention to provide kerosene to end-users through truck dispensing.
Ubah said that the challenge of ending kerosene scarcity and ensuring uninterrupted supply of the product was one that could be handled through consistent investments in infrastructure.
The managing director urged local banks to mobilise funds to execute proposals submited by indigenous oil firms, to establish refineries in the country.
“If we want to end the problem of importation of products and see functional refineries operating in Nigeria, then the local banks should be ready to partner with indigenous firms.
“The banks should be prepared to give facilities to local operators to build refineries or they should help us get a foreign credit line,’’ he said.
“The truth is that we must begin to appreciate the fact that only Nigerians that can put down funds and be so committed to establish a refinery in the country, as no foreigner will do it.’’
According to him, the number of depots and storage facilities built by local firms within the last three years was a clear testimony of their strength and willingness to invest in the growth and development of the sector.
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