Marketers got a whopping N103 billion as bridging petrol claims in nine months, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) said yesterday.
The claim came on the heels of the three-day warning strike which the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) commenced on Monday.
According to a press statement, NMDPRA’s Corporate Communications Department issued in Abuja last night, the disbursements were made in from December 2022 to last month.
The associations involved in the bridging gap chain are IPMAN Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) and the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO).
IPMAN National Vice President Alhaji Abubakar Maigandi confirmed the NMDPRA’s N103 billion payment claim to The Nation last night.
Asked why the Suleja Depot branch withdrew service and debunked the previous payment announcement, he said: “The claims are on daily basis and always accumulating.”
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The NMDPRA statement reads: “It should be noted that the authority has disbursed a total of N103, 037,183,922.91 between December 2021 to August 2022,” the agency said.
The statement further noted: “In line with the mandate of the NMDPRA to collaborate with others stakeholders in the industry to ensure uninterrupted supply of petrol across the country, it held a meeting with the Northern Independent Petroleum Marketers Forum (NIPMF) on 5th and 6th September 2022 with the participation of the NNPC Ltd.
“The previous engagements and yesterday’s meeting addressed issues regarding bridging claims and other matters”.
The agency reiterated bridging claims payment as an ongoing process and payments are disbursed as it is received from marketers.
It said: “Owing to the extensive deliberations between the parties, the authority further commits to fast-track the settlement of all outstanding claims when received from marketers after due verification and reconciliation. NIPMF has agreed to work with the NMDPRA to ensure free flow of petroleum products nationwide.”
The NMDPRA affirmed that it will continue to carry out its mandate as stipulated in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) which includes to promote and ensure the continuous and efficient operations of the midstream & downstream sector in Nigeria.