IPMAN warns of looming fuel crisis as private depot owners raise prices

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in Kano State has called on the Federal Government to take steps to avert a looming fuel crisis in the country.

The group said it had to make the call following the decision by some private depot owners to raise the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also called petrol.

The chairman of the state chapter of the union, Alhaji Bashir Danmallam, made the call in a statement issued in Kano on Friday.

According to him, some of the private depot owners had increased the price of the commodity from N148 per litre to between N153 and N155 per litre since Friday last week.

He said the association found it necessary to alert the government in order not to blame its members if they increase the price of the commodity as they would not operate at a loss.

“Some private depot owners are trying to sabotage the Federal Government by unilaterally increasing their prices even though the government has not raised the fuel pump price.

Read also: IPMAN suspends strike, resumes products supply in South-East

“We are equally calling on the Management of the NNPC to investigate the issue as some of the private depot owners have since Friday last week increased the price from N148 per litre to between N153 and N155 per litre. We know it’s only the Federal Government that imports fuel into the country.

“As I am talking to you private depot owners in Warri, Calabar Lagos and Oghara in Delta State have increased their prices. We hope the management of the NNPC will investigate and intervene,” Danmalam said.

Also, he accused the private depot owners of trying to cause a fuel crisis in the country by closing the depots as the end of the year draws near to maximize profit.

He said the association would not fold its arms and allow such unpatriotic private depot owners to engage in unnecessary price increase while the public is always accusing its members of deliberately increasing fuel prices.

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