Tanker Drivers Respond as PH Refinery Management Claims They Are Begging Them to Load Petrol
- The Port Harcourt Refinery has been rehabilitated, and the NNPC stated that it is already producing various petroleum products
- Tanker drivers claim they are yet to load products from the refinery despite being ready to do so
- Meanwhile, the refinery's management insists that the facility is operational, with products ready and awaiting tankers for loading
Legit.ng journalist Dave Ibemere has over a decade of business journalism experience with in-depth knowledge of the Nigerian economy, stocks, and general market trends.
There is an exchange of words between the management of the Port Harcourt Refinery and petroleum tankers over the slow pace of loading of petroleum products from the facility.
Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) accuses the petrol tankers of causing delays in evacuating products from the refinery.
Source: Getty Images
PH refinery management says product is available for loading
Worlu Joel, PHRC Terminal Manager, insisted that the refinery is fully operational and blamed tanker drivers for the low turnout.
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His words:
“We have surplus products and operational loading arms. If you give us 100 trucks, we can evacuate them in less than five hours. The challenge is tanker drivers not turning up to load.
Joel further disclosed that the facility, capable of loading 100 trucks per hour across its 11 functional bays, currently operates only three due to optimal delivery efficiency.
Also, DailyTrust reports that the terminal manager of the Port Harcourt depot of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Molokwu Chike, said that they have been begging tanker drivers to load petroleum products at the depot.
Tanker drivers reply PH refinery management
In reaction, the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), under the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), denied the claims from PHRC.
Vanguard reports that Afolabi Olawale, NUPENG's General Secretary, dismissed the allegations from PHRC, describing them as "economical with the truth."
He explained that tanker drivers only load products upon directives from marketers who work with the Nigeria Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO).
He was quoted as saying:
“We are ready at all times to load products where and when available."
Fuel prices to change as petrol landing costs crash
Legit.ng previously reported that filling stations nationwide anticipated revising pump prices downward due to reduced fuel landing costs.
The landing cost of freighting fuel to Nigeria fell to N935.94 per litre, and aviation fuel crashed to N1,117.48 per litre.
This was according to data by the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN).
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Source: Legit.ng
