By Adedapo Adesanya
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Mr Hameed Ali, has questioned the figures for the daily consumption of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, in the country.
Mr Ali wondered why the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited puts daily consumption of PMS at 60 million litres but approves the supply of 98 million litres from the depots daily.
While speaking at the House Committee on Finance for the hearing on the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (2023 – 2025), he queried the reason for the 38 million litres difference in petrol supply by the NNPC.
The Customs boss also dismissed claims that smuggling of PMS contributes to the huge amounts being paid for subsidy, saying, “The issue is not the smuggling of petroleum.”
Mr Ali noted that, “I have always argued this with NNPC. If we are consuming 60 million litres of petrol per day by their own computation, why in the world would you allow the lifting of 98 million litres per day?
“That computation, to me, is not believable, because scientifically you cannot tell me that if I fill my tank today, tomorrow I will fill my tank with the same quantity of fuel. And if I’m running a petrol station today, if I go to Minna depot and lift, and I’m taking to Kaduna, I may reach Kaduna in the evening and offload that product; there’s no way I could have sold that petrol for you to account that that has been expended.
“So, how do we get to 60 million every day? If you say this petrol is smuggled, if you release 98 million litres, and then we use 60 million litres, the balance will be 38 million litres. How many trucks will carry 38 million litres? Everyday. That’s almost 500. Which road are they following? Where are they carrying this thing to?”
Mr Ali is raising this question at a time the country has blamed constant crude theft as the reason for the loss of revenue from crude oil sales, making it difficult for the government to meet its obligations without resorting to borrowing.
Dipo Olowookere