The General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr Ndu Ughamadu, says the Corporation has made adequate arrangements to guarantee steady products supply across the country to meet consumers’ demand in the New Year and beyond.

In an interview with Abuchi Nwozor of the ABS in Abuja, Mr Ughamadu advised motorists and other consumers of petroleum products against panic buying , saying that the corporation holds a stock of thirty billion litres of petrol and ninety thousand metric tons of kerosene, expected to last for sixty days, assuming no fresh consignment is added.

He maintained that the price of petrol remains one hundred and forty-five naira per litre, urging petroleum products consumers to report any station which sells above the recommended price to any office of the industry regulatory agency, the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR or law enforcement agencies for appropriate sanction.

Mr Ughamadu urged communities hosting the corporation’s facilities, such as pipeline, pump stations, among others to restrain their wards from tampering with the national assets to guard against fire incidents, which he noted, were recorded in some parts of the country in recent times due to the unwholesome act of some individuals in the communities.

He disclosed that Nigeria’s crude oil daily production recorded an upward swing of about two point zero-nine million barrels in 2018, translating to a nine per cent increment, compared with the 2017
average daily production of one point eight-six million barrels said that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation had maintained a line of consistent year-on-year improvement.

The NNPC spokes persons explained that the average production from Nigerian Petroleum Development Company operated assets alone grew from an average of one hundred and eight thousand of oil per day in 2017 to one hundred and sixty-five thousand in 2018, describing the feat as the strongest production growth within the oil industry in recent times, even as he added that it was worth being celebrated.

He disclosed that the NNPC retail had transformed from loss making to profitability, adding that the corporation is planning for a better performance and achievement in 2019 especially with the continuous innovations and creativity in the downstream sector and the performance bond signed by all the relevant heads of the operating units.