The Independents Petroleum Marketers Association Of Nigeria (IPMAN) has explained its roles in the current fuel scarcity that has grounded economic activities in the country.
Alhaji Bukola Mutiu, the IPMAN chairman for Ibadan depot,who spoke with journalists on Friday in Ibadan after meeting with stakeholders on the way forward,insisted that Nigerians should not blame members of independent marketers for the current fuel scarcity in the country.
He added:” Today we are having joint meeting with the NLC state Exco, IPMAN Exco, NUPENG Exco in Ibadan depot on the current situation of fuel in the country, especially in Oyo and Osun state.
“We want the masses to understand that fuel crisis is not emanated from our own end here or from any member of independent marketers, we are having shortage of supply from NNPC, I mean we have been denied of having direct payment to NNPC remita portal that we normally requested and pay, for over six months now non of the existing marketing companies that duly licensed with NNPC are been given authority to pay.So that implies that we did not have fuel at NNPC Ibadan here since the begining of this year, we have not loaded a liter out of this Apata depot here in Ibadan, and we have five depots in the south west and none of them is working at present.
“We have to be going to private depot to buy fuel from private depot owners and that we have been buying at exorbitant prices ranging from N220, N212 per liter without trucks expenses and to the level of buying at the rate of N220; N222 per liter as at the close of work yesterday and if you add N30 transportation to Ibadan for example from Lagos to Ibadan and total cost of transport on a litre from Lagos to Ibadan is N30 that means that we are getting the fuel to our various stations beyond N260, N255 per liter before we now have other expenses to run stations and other expenses.”
Speaking on possibility of the fuel scarcity coming to an end soon, the IPMAN chairman said, “I cannot say there is end in sight because I’m not an insider at NNPC and I’m not an NNPC official, it is whatever they give us that we will buy, so it’s only NNPC officials that can give us any clue on when the scarcity is going to come to an end.
“What I know is that if they want this to end with immediate effect they can do it, we have means of paying into NNPC portal, they should open all those portals for marketers payment, so we can pay in directly into their portal as marketers, and the security agents that suppose to monitor who and who loaded will have the information at their disposals and we will sell to the masses at the correct prices that we normally sell.
“As at now, we are buying at very exorbitant prices that we cannot sell at the government regulated price and government is there at the private depots that we are buying from they should checkmate them.
“The only promise we can make, as a marketers and chairman of the stakeholders here in Ibadan which comprises IMB, PTD and IPMAN is that we will work hard in getting fuel available to the masses at the prevailing prices from Lagos. Bukola said.
Also speaking,Comrade Olukayode Martins the state NLC Chairman, said:”We read on the paper that the chanel which this fuel pass across to the country is so much cumbersome, they’ve made it so difficult for the marketers to access this fuel.The NNPC should do whatever they need to do because of the masses, maybe they need to stop the channel so we can have it at our various disposals.
“I also want to enjoin the masses,especially in Oyo state,to please calm down because the atmosphere is tense already, they should be peaceful at this hour of the day and I believe with God on our side, we will get to the root of this matter.” Olukayode said.