By Ikenna Omeje
Following palpable fear of imminent patrol scarcity because of the ongoing strike by the members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) over the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) by the Federal Government, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on Tuesday said it has over 2.9bn litres of petrol available for Christmas.

In a release, NNPC’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Kennie Obateru, quoted  the Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Mele Kyari as saying,  that the industrial action embarked upon by PENGASSAN would not lead to scarcity of petroleum products as all fuel stations and petrol depots in the country have enough stock of products to service consumers and are open for business.

While expressing hope that the industrial dispute would be settled amicably, Kyari stated that the stock of over 2.9 billion litres of petrol would guarantee seamless movement of people, goods and services across the country in the forthcoming Christmas season and beyond.

The NNPC GMD reiterated that the Corporation is determined to make the 2020 end-of-year festivities a zero fuel queue period just like the preceding year, noting that critical stockholders in the petroleum products supply and distribution chain such as tanker drivers, depot owners and road transport owners have been mobilized to ensure hitch-free season.