FUEL SCARCITY PERSISTS AS DSS 48 HOURS ULTIMATUM ELAPSES

Fuel scarcity persists despite the 48 hours ultimatum issued to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and oil marketers by the Department of State Services, DSS, to make the product available to Nigerians.

Recall that the DSS had on Thursday, given the NNPC and other stakeholders in the downstream sector 48 hours ultimatum to put an end to the lingering fuel scarcity across the country.

DSS spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, who made this known while addressing journalists in Abuja, stated that the ultimatum came after the agency held a closed-door meeting with stakeholders in the oil sector, who agreed to end the scarcity within the stipulated time.

However, oil marketers, this week revealed tha the distribution of the product was still problematic, but expressed optimism that the queues at various filling stations would soon disappear.

Similarly, dealers under the aegis of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, threatened to shut down operations if the NNPCL continued to deny them direct access in terms of payment for products.

On the way forward, the DSS spokesperson insisted that the ultimatum issued by the Service was already yielding positive results.

According to him, some outlets have been instructed to sell the product for 24 hours in a bid to ease off the queues