The NNPC has assured that ongoing repairs at the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) will be completed soon to address the fuel scarcity in some parts of the country.
Mr Fidel Pepple, the Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division of the NNPC disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.
NAN reports that the Kaduna Refinery had been shut down for about two weeks for routine maintenance and repairs of some of the faulty plants.
Pepple said that the repairs had been completed and the re-streaming of the plant would begin by weekend.
“The plant was actually shut down for repairs, but I can assure you that the repairs has been completed and the plant will be re-streamed before this weekend,’’ he said.
The Kaduna Refinery, which is responsible for supplying fuel to Abuja and some other northern parts of the country, had been in operation since March when the Catalytic Reforming Unit (CRU) was re-streamed.
Pepple however said that the NNPC had been bridging fuel supply to the northern part of the country from Lagos, Warri and Port Harcourt to avoid fuel shortage.
“We have been bridging fuel supply to the northern axis from Lagos, Warri and Port Harcourt so as to avoid fuel scarcity in parts of the country,’’ he said.
He assured that the bridging of the product from the southern part of the country would not lead to shortage as measures had been put in place to ensure a hitch free process.
Pepple maintained that it was only the NNPC that was importing fuel into the country as most of the oil marketers had refused to import the product due to what they termed “uncertainties with their subsidy payments’’.
He expressed optimism that the current fuel scarcity in parts of the country would soon be over.
He called on marketers and motorists to desist from hoarding the product as there were enough products for the entire country.
Pepple said that the NNPC would continue to work with relevant government agencies and stakeholders to ensure there was no fuel scarcity during and after the yuletide.
NAN reports that Abuja and environs had been witnessing fuel scarcity which had resulted to long queues at most filling stations in the metropolis.
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