THE controversy trailing the persistent scarcity of Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) in major cities across the country took another twist yesterday as marketers at the Techno Oil depot in Kirikiri, Apapa, Lagos, protested pro- longed delay in the distribution of the products.
The situation which created confusion, apprehension and a rowdy situation among marketers and tanker drivers at the depot, was however resolved with the intervention of the company’s management. Before now, kerosene has remained a scare commodity, even when other petroleum products are available at depots.
Reacting to the development which led to the protest, a source at Techno oil depot, which pleaded anonymity explained that the firm took delivery of a vessel of DPK Wednesday evening, but upon sighting the vessel Thursday morning, marketers who had placed order for the products were rush into the facility to load, a development that is against industry practice.
The source explained that, there were several procedures to be followed when a vessel berths, adding that representative of government agencies, includeding Department of Petroleum Resources(DPR)Nigerian
Ports Authority(NPA) and Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency(PPPRA),must certify the quality and volume of products, before distribution could begin.
‘‘The situation has been brought under control and loading will start as soon as DPR,PPPRA and NPA complete their task,’’ the source said.
But a marketer for the oil firm, Mr. Mojeed Alabi, said the protest was further aggravated as a result of the delay of Techno Oil, as those who paid for kerosene over two weeks ago, lamenting that the delay had caused them to incur extra cost on demurrage for hired trucks.
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