Petrol scarcity hits Abuja over Dangote/PENGASSAN feud

The crisis between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Dangote Refinery over the sack of over 800 staff has culminated in the scarcity of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The association has cut the gas supply to the refinery since Sunday.

The Nation, however, monitored the petrol market in the FCT on Tuesday to discover that almost all the retail outlets were under lock and key.

Black marketers displayed the same PMS in strategic locations, like at the Conoil opposite the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) in the Central Business District.

Speaking with The Nation, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) National President, Alhaji Abubakar Maigandi, said the scarcity was due to the cut of supply from the Dangote Refinery.

According to him, Dangote is the sole supplier of the product, and loading is slow at the refinery.

He added that private depots have hiked petrol price to N980 per litre in Lagos.

He urged the warring parties to quickly settle their differences for the sake of the economy.

Similarly, the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA) National Public Relations Officer, Chief Chinedu Ukadike, said the only cause of the scarcity was the Dangote and PENGASSAN crisis.

He appealed to the federal government to quickly resolve the crisis.