ionigeria.com Nigerian Newspaper
The Lagos State chapter of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has threatened to cripple the operations of at least 900 filling stations in the state in December.
The association accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) of undersupplying its members with Premium Motor Spirit and frustrating them on an earlier agreement to supply to them at N133 per litre.
The association noted that if a resolution is not reached between all concerned parties, its members in Lagos State, and parts of Ogun State, may be forced to shut their filling stations by December 11.
In a statement signed by the association’s principal officers led by chairman, Alhaji Alanamu Balogun, it complained about the shortage of product supply to its Ejigbo satellite depot which it claims serves more than 900 filling stations in Lagos.
The association further lamented that, due to the shortage, its members have been forced to turn to the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPMAN) which sells at inflated prices.
The statement read, “We have endured enough and are set for a showdown with the NNPC for irregular supply at Ejigbo satellite depot, Lagos.
“We have held many meetings with both the NNPC and DAPMAN, questioning why should the NNPC supply fuel to DAPMAN at N117 per litre and DAPMAN will turn around to sell the same fuel to IPMAN members at N141 and the NNPC wants marketers to sell to the public at N145 per litre.
“The NNPC made it as a condition that we must renew our agreement with it or we will not get fuel supply. This agreement has been renewed yet, the NNPC has refused to supply us with fuel.
“The same agreement the NNPC signed with us is what it signed with DAPMAN. While DAPMAN gets supplies, IPMAN members are being denied fuel supply, which means the NNPC officials are into a game.
“The Federal Government should step into this matter between now and December 11 to avoid fuel crisis.”
The association called for the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, the Department of Petroleum Resources, the National Assembly, and the Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, to address the situation.
