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Tag: IPMAN

  • IPMAN: ignore call for strike

    IPMAN: ignore call for strike

    Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) yesterday urged Nigerians to ignore those calling for strike action because of the new pump price of N145 per litre .

    It said the new pump price of petrol will liberalize the oil and gas industry.

    Its President, Chief Obason Lawson, told reporters in Abuja yesterday that the new price will engender competition which will likely force price reduction of the product.

    Lawson admitted that the masses will feel initial pain from the implementation of the policy but assured that in less than one month Nigerians will start ripping the benefits of the new policy.

    His words: “The new policy of the federal government that effected the change in price of PMS is a welcome development. We members of IPMAN welcome the policy because it is going to bring about total liberalisation and also engender competition in the industry.

    We have also put arrangement in place to import petroleum products so that we can serve our members. The policy is a good development so the issue of strike should be ignored. In fact, we are calling on all our members to go about their normal businesses and keep their petrol stations open.”

    He also noted over 7,000 tickets of PMS worth more than N20 billion, some of which were as old as one year were tied up in the NNPC system but expressed optimism that they will be released easily with the new price policy.

    He also urged the federal government to release the proposed palliatives as quickly as possible to cushion the effects of the hike.

  • IPMAN commends FG on new price of petrol

    IPMAN commends FG on new price of petrol

    Alhaji Abubakar Maigandi, the Vice President, Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), has commended the Federal Government on the new pump price of petrol.

    Maigandi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja that the decision would help to put to an end the persistent petrol scarcity in the country.

    “This is a good development; the best that will happen is complete removal of the subsidy.

    “The price they put is a good one, but the best thing is to leave the market open so that people will decide what they want to sell after importation,” he said.

    He assured that the products would be available with this development, adding that the association was ready to continue to support government’s effort.

    NAN reports that the Petroleum products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) has announced a new pump price of N145 per litre for petrol.

    A statement signed by Mrs Sotonye Iyoyo, the Acting Executive Secretary of PPPRA, said that the new price would take immediate effect

    “In furtherance of its mandate to ensure the efficient supply and distribution of petroleum products, PPPRA hereby announces, effective immediately, that the new price band for PMS shall be at a maximum of N145 per litre.

    “However, NNPC retail stations on the outskirts of major cities are advised to sell at price lower than N145 per litre,” it said.

    The statement said that the review became imperative in the face of extreme difficulties faced by petroleum product Importers in sourcing foreign exchange.

    This, it added, had made it difficult to meet the consumption demand of the nation.

    “Importers will henceforth be permitted to source for their foreign exchange requirements from the secondary sources.

    “PPPRA is conscious of the difficulties that Nigerians have been going through in the last few months.

    “To ameliorate this situation, we shall continue to modulate pricing in accordance with prevailing market dynamics thereby ensuring fair value to all citizens,” it said.

     

  • IPMAN dismisses fuel diversion accusation

    IPMAN dismisses fuel diversion accusation

    The National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Chief Obasi Lawson, has dismissed the allegation of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, that marketers are diverting fuel to neighbouring countries.

    Speaking yesterday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, while inaugurating Ben Dumbari Dimkpa as the Eastern Zonal Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of IPMAN, he said it was the duty of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to apprehend those involved in diverting fuel.

    Kachikwu, who doubles as the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), had while speaking at a stakeholders’ forum in Lagos accused marketers of diverting fuel, especially petrol, to Chad, Cameroon and other neighbouring countries.

    Lawson said: “We met with the Minister (of State for Petroleum Resources) two weeks ago, in connection with fuel scarcity in Nigeria. We made all necessary arrangements to alleviate fuel scarcity in Nigeria. The minister also stated that the fuel scarcity will be over very soon. By the grace of God, fuel scarcity has started to go down drastically. The price (of petrol) is going back to its normal position of N86.50 per litre.”

  • IPMAN disowns fuel scarcity claim

    IPMAN disowns fuel scarcity claim

    The National Operations Controller and immediate past National Secretary of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association Nigeria (IPMAN), Mr Mike Osatuyi has debunked a report that the association was responsible for the fuel scarcity. The report was credited to  Mr. Lawson Ngoa, who claimed to be the interim management secretary of IPMAN.

    Osatuyi in a statement after IPMAN’s national executive council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, said Lawson Ngoa is not a member of IPMAN, but an agent of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources brought in to mediate in the internal crisis of IPMAN.

    He said while the intervention of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu in resolving the internal crisis in IPMAN is appreciated and commendable, the forefathers, past presidents, leaders of IPMAN and the general members of IPMAN nationwide will not allow Mr. Lawson Ngoa, who is not a marketer let alone being an IPMAN member, to use IPMAN’s name as a shield to defend or protect a system failure of the Nigerian national Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    He said: “It is pure defamation of IPMAN’s name to go on air that IPMAN has accepted the responsibility for the scarcity of petroleum products and that Nigerians should hold IPMAN responsible for the scarcity. Crisis in IPMAN with government’s intervention is not new.  Previous government agencies have intervened in IPMAN crisis without blackmail from the agencies concerned right from the time of Alhaji Jarfau Paki, the then Special Assistant to President Olusegun Obasanjo on Petroleum Matters, Dr. Oluwole Oluleye, the former Executive Secretary of Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), had intervened in IPMAN matters without blackmailing the Association.

    “Some former Managing Directors of Products and Pipeline Marketing Company (PPMC) had also intervened in IPMAN matters without destroying IPMAN’s name. IPMAN controls over 80 per cent of the retail outlets in the country and IPMAN has partnered with previous governments to solve previous fuel crisis without damaging the association name.”

    He continued: “It is also on record that no member of IPMAN has voiced out against peace since this government stepped in to resolve its crisis few days ago. That is evidence that IPMAN and all members want peace and are ready to embrace peace for seamless operation of the association’s administration and by extension the Nigerian oil industry.

    “IPMAN doesn’t want any government agents, representatives, coordinators that will add more wound to the association’s injury or destroy the association’s name that was established over 35 years ago. IPMAN members nationwide have invested trillions of Naira in the Nigerian downstream oil sector.

    He added: “Lawson is not aware or knowledgeable of the gravity of his statement to IPMAN and Nigerians who are suffering for weeks for somebody’s system and planning failure. It is unfair statement and he has to apologize to IPMAN and Nigerians for deceiving the populace.

    “Lawson should tell the public if IPMAN issues import permit, allocate foreign exchange (forex) for import, or involved in import planning of NNPC and import allocation formula, among others? He has no authority or mandate to use IPMAN’s name to shield any of the government agencies for any operational or administrative mismanagement. IPMAN is ready to work with the government in ensuring products availability.”

  • IPMAN accepts responsibility for fuel scarcity

    IPMAN accepts responsibility for fuel scarcity

    The lingering leadership crisis of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) for nearly two years has contributed maximally in the current petroleum product scarcity.

    The rivalry between two IPMAN national factions has crippled the importation and distribution of petroleum products in Nigeria especially by the members of the independent marketers who control about 80 per cent of the fuel distribution network .

    In his resolve to end the current fuel scarcity, the petroleum minister, Ibe Kachikwu has inaugurated IPMAN Reconciliation/Interim Management Committee to resolve crisis which has bearing on the petroleum product scarcity.

    The Secretary of the Committee, Lawson Ngoa in a statement yesterday heaped the blame for the petroleum product scarcity on the door step of leadership tussle in IPMAN. He further stated that the minister is completely innocent of the petroleum products scarcity as he inherited the crises ridden petroleum sector.

    Engr Ngoa further stated that IPMAN accepts all responsibility for the difficulties suffered by Nigerians while agreeing that IPMAN is now ready to commence distribution of products following reconciliation brokered by the minister.

    With the increase in  percentage of product to IPMAN and other incentives made available by the federal government through the minister of petroleum, the fuel scarcity will end in weeks.

  • DPR, IPMAN trade words over ‘overpayment’

    DPR, IPMAN trade words over ‘overpayment’

    Independent Marketers of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) yesterday disagreed over supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly known as petrol above the official pump price of N86:50K per litre.

    While IPMAN alleged depot owners were selling the petrol above the official price, DPR challenged the fuel marketers to present evidence of buying the product above the official price from depots.

    DPR’s Assistant Director, Operation Abuja zonal office, Ahmed Alaku, told journalists after inspecting the sale of products at Nasarawa and Abuja that there must be evidence of overpayment before the agency can act.

    He said: “If anybody buys the product above the normal price at the depot there should be evidence.

    “Once you don’t have evidence and nobody has come to say that they have been selling the fuel at the depot above pump price so in that situation once we come to any filling station it has to sell at the company price.

    “You know we DPR are purely regulators and of course we ensure that whoever that has products in his filling station has to sell at government price.”

    But Vice President of IPMAN, Alhaji Abubakar Dankingari, who spoke with our correspondent in Abuja, insisted that the marketers have been presenting evidence of over-payment to the DPR and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    According to him: “We have been carrying a lot of receipts and many evidence to them.

    “They (NNPC and DPR) are all aware. It is no secret even you if you call the lines of any private depot they will tell you the price.”

    He also alleged that the corporation was only selling fuel to its retail outlets and major marketers who in turn sell to independent marketers above pump price right at the depots.

    Dakingari added: “They are not loading the independent marketers so the major marketers and NNPC retail outlets they are selling their products at the terminal.

    “Like in Lagos where they are loading most of them sell their products there.

    “Integrated and Total sell at N110 per litre when they finish loading there at the same terminal.”

    But Alaku insisted DPR has never hesitated to sanction any depot that sells products above pump price, stressing that any culprit must pay N2 million for the violating the price.

    He recalled that DPR penalised affected depots in January.

  • DPR challenges marketers to present evidence of over payment

    DPR challenges marketers to present evidence of over payment

    The fuel crisis that enveloped the country have refused to disappear, according to the Independent Marketers of Nigeria (IPMAN) Friday, because depot owners sell  the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) above the official pump price of N77 per litre.

    But the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) Friday challenged the fuel marketers to present evidence of buying over the price from depots.

    Assistant Director, Operation Abuja zonal office, Mr.  Ahmed Alaku, spoke with journalists after inspecting the sale of products at A.A. Rano in Mararaba, Mararaba 2 Total, AYM Shafa Ltd Mararaba in Nassarawa State and the Zone 1 Total filling station, Wuse, zone 1, Abuja.

    Asked to respond to the allegation that some marketers bought petrol above pump price from the depots, which was their reason for selling above pump price, he said: “If anybody buys the product above the normal price at the depot there should be evidence.

    “Once you don’t have evidence and nobody has come to say that they have been selling the fuel at the depot above pump price so in that situation once we come to any filling station it has to sell at the company price.

    Continuing, he said, “you know we DPR are purely regulators and of course we ensure that whoever that has products in his filling station has to sell at government price.

    But the Vice President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Alhaji Abubakar Dankingari, who spoke with The Nation at Abuja,  insisted that the marketers have been presenting evidence of over-payment to both the DPR and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    He said that:  “we have been carrying a lot of receipts and so many evidences to them. They (NNPC and DPR are all aware. It is no secret even you if you call the lines of any private depot they will tell you the price.”

    The Vice President also alleged that the corporation was only selling fuel to its retail outlets and major marketers that in turn sell to independent marketers above pump price at right there at the depots.

    His words: “They are not loading the independent marketers so the major marketers and NNPC retail outlets they are selling their products at the terminal.  Like in Lagos where they are loading most of them sell their products there. Integrated, Total sell N110 per litre when they finish loading there at the same terminal.”
    Meanwhile, Alaku noted that the DPR has never hesitated to sanction any depot that sold products above pump price, stressing that any culprit must pay N2 million for the violating the price.

    The Assistant Director said that “DPR is all over the country. We have our staff in all the depots: Calabar and everywhere. And any of the depots we find them selling about the pump price that depot will be sanctioned and it has to pay N2million for selling above the pump price.”

    He recalled that in January DPR had in January applied the sanction and penalized the affected depots.

    Also speaking on the unending fuel crisis in Nigeria, Kachikwu said the Federal Government is considering deploying information technology in the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) supply chain to end the perennial fuel queues witnessed across the country.

    He disclosed that the Federal Government plans to computerize the supply process from export of the product down to the sale of the product to motorists.

    According to him, computerisation is one of the key initiatives that are being considered in tackling the fuel shortages, especially as it would enable the tracking of products discharged from oil vessels and tankers to depots; then what was loaded from the depots by trucks.

    He added that it would also help track what the trucks deliver to petrol stations and what was purchased by motorists.

  • IPMAN alleges NNPC’s refusal to load N5b tickets

    IPMAN alleges NNPC’s refusal to load N5b tickets

    The Vice President, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Alhaji Abubakar Dankigari yesterday expressed regret at the refusal  of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to load members of the association’s trucks at the depots in the last five days.

    He told The Nation on telephone that IPMAN tickets worth over N5billion were pending yet the corporation refused to load their trucks at the depots.

    His words: “We have over N4 to N5billion tickets with them (NNPC) but they refused to load members of Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) for five days now.”

    He said the corporation was only loading its retail outlets and major marketers that even lifted their  products on credit.

    Dakingari said:“ For five days now, the NNPC refused to load the independent marketers. They are only giving major and retail outlets. We have complained to NNPC and nothing has been done about it. So, that is the reason fuel scarcity will continue. “

  • Police wades into DPR, IPMAN feud in Kwara

    Police wades into DPR, IPMAN feud in Kwara

    The Police in Ilorin have waded into the feud between the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and members of the Kwara State Branch of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).

    The Head of Operations of the DPR office in Ilorin, Mr Ibitayo Oyedele, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Ilorin.

    He said that the Controller of the DPR in the state, Mr Philips Salvation, had petitioned the police and the DSS over an alleged manhandling of some DPR workers by IPMAN members.

    According to him, the police have invited some officers of IPMAN for questioning on the development.

    NAN recalls that both DPR and IPMAN members have been at loggerhead since 2015 when the DPR controller refused to allow them to sale fuel above the approved pump price of N86.50.

    Oyedele told NAN that it was not true that independent marketers bought their fuel at higher prices from private depots.

    The head of operations said that fuel sold by the independent marketers were imported by NNPC and sold to them at the official price.
    He also said that independent marketers who bought fuel from distant PPMC depots were paid for bridging.

    “It is not correct that marketers lift petrol at higher prices from distant depots, every extra expenses incurred by marketers is defrayed by the Federal Government,” he said.

    Oyedele said that because the controller refused to shift grounds and allow the marketers to sell at exorbitant prices, they had refused to sell their products to the public.

    According to him, this is the main cause of the acute fuel scarcity in Kwara, particularly in Ilorin, the capital.

    Oyedele alleged that a factional leader of IPMAN, Mr Olanrewaju Okanlawon, had led some members of the body to assault DPR officials, who had come to seal off his filling station at Ajase Ipo Road, Ilorin.

    Efforts to get the reaction of the IPMN chief on the matter yielded no dividend as his mobile phone was switched off.

  • Restructuring would sanitise NNPC, says IPMAN

    Restructuring would sanitise NNPC, says IPMAN

    National President of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Chief Obasi Lawson, has said the plan to restructure the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) by the federal government will go a long way to sanitise the petroleum sector.

    Speaking during a two-day visit to the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice of Cross River State, Mr. Joe Abang, in Calabar, the state capital, Lawson said the introduction of any new policy was likely to attract opposition, which was why the oil workers embarked on strike.

    Also speaking, the Economic Adviser to IPMAN boss, Mr. Michael Udofia, described the problem of petrol scarcity in the country as systemic.

    He said: “The problem of fuel scarcity in Nigeria is systemic, and until this system issues are tackled, we would still be going around in circles back. We do not have any reason to be importing petroleum products. Why are our refineries established in the 70s and 80s not maintained over the years?

    “We have crude oil, we export that same crude oil, only to go back and import the refined product. It is a paradox. By moving out the crude oil, of course freight comes in, insurance comes in and the people that haulage this product to the different countries come in. That is a huge cost in itself. For you to go and bring these same products again, that is additional cost. So, I think the time has come for us to do the right thing, because we don’t have any other country outside Nigeria. Let us do the right thing and ensure our refineries work.

    “Two, if you feel we should import, then there is no need for the price ceiling. If you fix this price at N86.50, what happens if a businessman brings in this product at a rate that is higher? For the mere fact that you have sealed the price, it is bound to throw up issues. So unseal it if you cannot refine it. Anybody that is able and capable to bring it, let him bring it in, and you find out that if you do so, with the fluctuation and almost near collapse of crude oil price internationally, the price can even come down to even below N86, because we are going to have efficiency in the system.”