Marketers demand subsidy on diesel to crash petrol prices

Marketers of PETROLUEM products have made demands on the Federal Government to remove subsidies from premium motor spirit (petrol) to Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) to lower the operational cost of distributing petrol across the nation.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria, NOGASA National President, Mr. Benneth Korie, said independent marketers have also had cause to depend on loading from private depots owned by major marketers in order to sell at their filling stations.

NOGASA, said the high cost of diesel remains a major challenge in the distribution of petrol across the country.

Mr. Korie noted that remaining competitive against stations owned by the major marketers was a huge challenge for independents as government owned depots were empty.

He disclosed that it cost about N70 per litre to move petrol from the depots to filling stations in the northern parts of the country.

He went on to thank the intervention of the Department of Security Services, DSS, in resolving the petrol supply challenge, saying it helped in easing the difficulties faced by independent marketers.

He went to mention the need to fix roads across the country and also get the refineries working again.

Mr. Korie further added that the marketers have been assured by the government that the Port Harcourt Refinery would become operational in the coming New Year.

(Vanguard)