IPMAN, NUPENG assure there’s no impending fuel scarcity

Again, Nigerians have been assured that there is no impending fuel scarcity. This is as the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) urged Nigerians to stop panicking as there is sufficient product.

It was disclosed in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos.

The association confirmed that about six vessels of imported petrol ordered by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) were currently discharging the product.

National President of IPMAN, Chinedu Okoronkwo, said there is no need for panicking over fuel scarcity, as virtually all the NNPC depots across the states had commence loading of petroleum product by marketers.

READ ALSO: Petrol-laden tanker collides with Caterpillar in Anambra

“Marketers are currently loading petrol in Makurdi, Kano, Enugu, Aba,Yola, Suleja, Kaduna, Ejigbo, Mosinmi, Ibadan and other depots across the country.

“The shortfall in distribution was due to slow pace of product importation and hitches at the jetty which had been addressed.

“But the Federal Government is on top of the situation, there is enough of petrol to go round. I have also instructed all our members to ensure adequate distribution of the product across the country.

“I have also directed them to ensure product is sold at official price of N145 per litre. If there is any issues on distribution and pricing differentials, members should call the secretariat for further action.

“The Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) template has not changed, so, no marketer should influence hike or sell above official price,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, Tayo Aboyeji, Chairman, Lagos Zone of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), also corroborated the IPMAN’s president, saying “there is enough fuel, Nigerians should avoid panic buying’’.

Aboyeji said that “there is fuel and it is available, as I am talking to you now, some of the depots have received the products and are already loading.

“What is happening was panic buying, people think there might be price increase from government or removal of subsidy.

“But nothing of such, government has assured us that no increase in petrol pricing for now, so, Nigerians and marketers should avoid being panic over fuel scarcity.

“I urge Nigerians and motorists to avoid storing of petrol at home because it’s dangerous for us, fuel is available, I have visited some depots and I can confirmed to you that loading is going on.

‘’As at Friday, we have instructed our tanker drivers to engage in 24-hours loading activities and lift products from depots to filling stations across the country.

“We will ensure 24-hours service delivery of product distribution in the country, we also urge government to checkmate activities of the task force in Lagos and along Ibadan expressway.

“Our members are being extorted and harassed by members of the task force. Some drivers who were scheduled to load in Lagos were denied asses to Lagos, which also affects effective distribution of products,’’ he said.

Chairman, Western Zone of IPMAN, Debo Ahmed, however attributed the ongoing queues at some stations was due to shortfall in NNPC distribution network to depots.

Ahmed said that all depots within the South-West zone were loading at a low pace due to insufficient products.

“We have lots of pending tickets from marketers awaiting loading at depots but were still stranded.

Also, Alhaji Ayo Alanamu, the Chairman, IPMAN Ejigbo Satellite depot, attributed the challenges to shortfall of the product from NNPC.

Alanamu said that marketers, IPMAN and NNPC retails battled with 40-trucks on daily basis which was not sufficient.

He urged government to expedite action toward importing more products to avoid another round of scarcity that had ended.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now