Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Ibe Kachikwu has given a three-month ultimatum to the Petroleum Equalization Fund (PEF) to commence the tracking of the movement of petrol from depots up to filling stations, Daily Trust reports.
This directive is part of measures to check the diversion of petrol. Presently, PEF through its Project Aquila is limited to tracking fuel tanker movements from loading depot to receiving depot.
The minister issued the directive when he inspected the exhibition stand of the Fund at the just concluded African Petroleum Congress and Exhibition (CAPE VI) in Abuja.
He instructed the agency to conclude work on Aquilla II which will ensure products can be monitored not just to the depot but up to the retail outlets.
The spokesman for PEF Goddy Nnadi said the agency is already acting on the directive.
Meanwhile, a coalition of civil society groups has raised alarm that some faceless forces are mounting strategic challenges towards ensuring that the current fuel queues are prolonged.
The group, Children and Women’s Rights Network in a statement by its Executive Director, Moses Adedeji said that since the federal government declared in December 27, 2015 that it was involving security agencies, some high-level oil sector cabals have mounted dangerous campaigns against some government personalities.
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