Afrigather 
Oil entrepreneurs on Sunday mentioned the Federal Authorities ought to evacuate and dispense the merchandise presently trapped within the depots which had been shut down lately by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
Entrepreneurs mentioned the merchandise ought to be distributed on the regulated charge of N148/litre to assist tackle the shortage of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, in some states, as a substitute of leaving them trapped regardless of the gas disaster throughout the nation.
However the NMDPRA argued that it did its calculation to make sure that the impact of the shut depots didn’t considerably affect the affected zones, because it revealed would now examine the tanks of filling stations and different depots with a purpose to halt the hoarding of petrol.
On Saturday, the Federal Authorities introduced that it had shut down the operations of seven depots in varied places in Nigeria for allotting petrol at outrageous costs to shops.
The Chief Government (NMDPRA) Farouk Ahmed, who disclosed this to journalists in Abuja, mentioned the motion by the affected depots contravened the provisions of the Petroleum Trade Act 2021, and in addition contributed to the latest PMS provide disaster within the downstream oil sector.
Reacting to this, the Secretary, Impartial Petroleum Entrepreneurs Affiliation of Nigeria, Abuja-Suleja, Mohammed Shuaibu, informed our correspondent that the federal government ought to transcend shutting down depots.
He mentioned, “It isn’t simply by shutting down the depots. Should you shut down the depots when there are merchandise in them, and also you didn’t evacuate the merchandise on the regulated value to the general public, then you might find yourself inflicting extra PMS provide issues.
“In case you are a regulator, go in there and implement, allow them to open the gates, herald tankers to evacuate the merchandise to the general public in order that there can be surplus gas that may assist in driving down the value.
“However by the point you shut down the depots and the merchandise stay of their tanks, we gained’t get the merchandise, and who suffers when two elephants combat? The lots will undergo and we’re struggling now. These are the results.”
Shuaibu added, “So the NMDPRA ought to open up the depots and permit them to dispense the merchandise on the regulated value. It should additionally be sure that it screens it to the letter. However by the point you shut down and tomorrow open, and these are businessmen, are you serving to the scenario or inflicting extra hurt?
“These individuals have merchandise and you’re shutting them down, why not regulate it if you wish to implement it? And if anybody is discovered wanting, punish the individual, not by shutting down.”
However the NMDPRA dismissed fears that the shutdown of depots may result in gas shortage in lots of components of Nigeria.
Ahmed mentioned, “In shutting down the depots, we calculated to see what results it could have on the movement and distribution of petroleum merchandise. Now we have sufficient merchandise throughout the nation.
“We additionally appeared on the availability in different depots inside the zones and we realised that although we shut the seven depots, the impact on the provision inside these zones isn’t going to be vital.
“It can additionally assist us by making those that are hoarding deliver out the merchandise as a result of the following stage is to go and begin checking the tanks of petrol stations and depots to make sure that no marketer or retailer is hoarding the product.”
Ahmed mentioned there had additionally been distribution by trucking, including that the following line of motion was to watch the vehicles and guarantee they had been delivered on the varied locations as assigned.
