The ongoing petrol scarcity in the country is set to worsen as trucks remain stranded at depots, despite assurances from the Federal Government that the commodity would be massively available this weekend.

According to sources, some Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) vessels have arrived at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Apapa and Port Harcourt depots, but independent marketers have not started loading the product.

This has resulted in a prolonged shortage, with over 2,000 petrol tankers still waiting to lift products at various NNPC depots.

The National Operations Controller of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Mustapha Zarma, confirmed that loading had yet to commence, stating that the queues could last till Monday.

“Maybe the improvement in supply will start tomorrow or Sunday, but as of yesterday and today, there has not been much loading of products. Even if there has been loading today, I don’t think it is much,” Zarma said.

Zarma attributed the delay to unpaid tickets and delayed loading, which have hindered the ability of independent marketers to access the product.

“The queues in Abuja are heavy. Nobody is loading. Right now, most of the tickets of independent marketers, which had been paid for since the last three months, have not been cleared to load,” he added.

Recall that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, had earlier promised that the product would be massively available before the weekend.

He gave the assurance on Thursday while briefing State House reporters after a meeting with Vice President Kashim Shettima over the hike in petrol price. The meeting was also attended by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu and the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC, Mele Kyari.