• Debunks shutdown option
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) yesterday assured that normalcy would return to fuel supply across the country within the next one week.
Its National Operations Controller, Mr. Mike Osatuyi, who gave the assurance, appealed to the Federal Government to give his members some grace period to enable them sell off their petrol stock before enforcing the N195 per litre regime.
IPMAN also debunked an earlier statement threatening to shut its filling stations across the country following the commencement of the N195 per litre price of petrol billed to take off yesterday. Across the metropolis yesterday, there were no signs of the planned N195 per litre enforcement as petrol stations, especially the independents, maintained status quo.
Asked to put a timeline to when normalcy is likely to return, especially in the area of pricing, Osatuyi said: “Well, maybe in one week from now, when we hope that we would have commenced lifting of the product at the official price as agreed with NNPCL and not through a third party. As at today, we have not started lifting the product at official price, but we are sure it will happen soon,” adding that this “will bring down the price of the product”. He noted that the direct sale of products to independent marketers would lead to immediate reversal of retail prices to regulated retail price.
He argued that it is only logical for the government to accede to its request because the stock being dispensed by its members were sourced at a high price far above the official ex-depot price.
“Yes, we are appealing to the government to allow us some days to sell off the stock we have so as not to run into debts because we sourced the same at a very high ex-depot price; fair is fair. If we bought the product at N270 ex-depot, selling at N195 will amount to a great loss for us,” he said.
The Vice Chairman, IPMAN Western Zone, Chief Joseph Akanni, buttressed Osatuyi’s position. He said all that the association was asking was for time to sell the products its members bought at a high price.
“We have already instructed our members not to buy high-priced petroleum products. We will only be buying products from NNPC. We have also advised our members not to buy any products that they can’t sell at N195 litre according to the Federal Government guideline. Most of our members paid to the private depot owners almost three to four weeks ago and they were yet to supply them but started to supply them now.”
We have pleaded with the authority to give us time to sell off the products this is against the backdrop that our members want to go on rampage. That is not true,” he said.
Osatuyi therefore called on his members to keep their stations open and sell to the public nationwide, adding that the Association is a responsible body that will not involve itself in undermining the national security of the country because petrol is a national security product.
He revealed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and IPMAN have firmed up arrangements for direct supply of petrol at the official ex depot price of N172 per litre-a price at which both NNPCL and the major marketers are supplied. To this end, Osatuyi disclosed that IPMAN members will now load the product at DAPPMAN depots in Abule-Ado, Ijegun axis of Lagos, at the official price because DAPPMAN has agreed to sell petrol at N172 per litre to IPMAN members. This is part of the Federal Government and DAPMAN’s efforts in ensuring that Nigerians enjoy the subsidy regime. IPMAN, he further said, will also load petrol in NIPCO and MRS depots massively for the Southwest and Northwest part of the country in a few days’ time.
In a related development, the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has approved the constitution of the Edo State Petroleum Monitoring Committee, in a bid to address the scarcity and arbitrary pricing of petroleum products in the state.
The Secretary to the Edo State Government, Osarodion Ogie, in a statement, noted that the committee was made up of representatives of Edo Ministry of Mining and Energy, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), IPMAN, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
Others were representatives of the the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Police Force (NPF), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Edo State Public Works Volunteers (PUWOV), Edo Security Network, Public Service Joint Negotiating Council, Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) and HOSTCOM.
Ogie, a lawyer, stated that members of the committee were charged to ensure synergy among relevant stakeholders, to ensure quick and sustainable resolution to the lingering issues, for the benefit of Edo residents.
Meanwhile, transporters associations under the auspices of Coalition of Transporters, have threatened to picket headquarters of the NNPL over lingering fuel scarcity.
This is contained in a six-point Communique issued by Chairpersons of the associations yesterday in Abuja. The Communique was signed by Alhaji Jamilu Mai Alheri, the Chairman Trailer Drivers Association (TADAN) and five others.
The associations said they had put their members across the country on alert to picket NNPCL Abuja, if nothing was done to urgently fix the problem. The associations said they would continue to occupy the NNPCL Towers until the problem was tackled. They also said members engaged by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transport election related materials would be withdrawn if the problem was not resolved.
“We are currently experiencing unbearable conditions occasioned by the lingering fuel shortage. Our members depend largely on daily income from the transportation services which have been adversely affected by the scarcity. It is also inconceivable that fuel is sold at licenced and government recognised filling stations for between N350 to N400 per litre across the six geo-political zones. This has forced the majority of our members to abandon their buses, motorcycles among others,” the Communique said.