The National secretariat of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has called on the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to redirect their searchlight on the activities of private Deport owners and Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigerian (DAPMAN). The call was made by the National President of IPMAN, Debo Ahmed, and the National Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Okadike through a joint statement released to newsmen. Ahmed laments about the situation where petroleum products are being sold to its members of IPMAN above the NNPCL approved price of N148 which is threatening to send them out of business.
Although he agreed that its members will continue to be law-abiding by selling the product at the approved price of N165 per liter at its outlets, he call on the NNPCL to save its members from the activities of DAPPMA.
Ahmed said, “The government is doing nothing about the private depots that are violating the system by selling higher.
“IPMAN members have suffered a lot in the hands of private depot owners.
“We appreciate the efforts of NNPC to make the product available but you cannot rob Peter to pay Paul.
He added that “We have really suffered a lot of setbacks based on the cost of diesel.
Though he admitted that there is the availability of petroleum products, what is available isn’t sufficient. The cost of diesel has skyrocketed beyond imagination.
“These two factors have led to profiteering at tank farms, whereby marketers buy petroleum products at the rate of N169 to N170 above government-controlled pump price.
Ahmed explained, “It is becoming increasingly difficult for marketers to sell petroleum products with this little margin. It is easy for marketers to move products from NNPCL depots to sell at N165 but we aren’t getting at N148, which is the government template for private depot tank farm owners to sell to marketers, we are getting at N160. There is no way a marketer will use N5 to sell petroleum products,”
He, therefore, called on the NNPCL to ensure that they flood the market with enough products so that Nigerians will have ease.
Ahmed laments that “These products are being sold to private depots at government-approved rates, not above N148. If they can’t stick to the approved template, they should close down those tank farms selling above what the government has stipulated.”
Meanwhile, the IPMAN has distanced itself from an impostor, Chinedu Okoronkwo, which they said is not representing the IPMAN.
He explained that “The issue of IPMAN presidency has been settled by the Supreme Court on 14th Dec. 2018. Okoronkwo isn’t in contact with members of IPMAN and doesn’t represent their interests.”
In his submission, the National Chairman of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Alhaji Yusuff Lawal Othman, dismissed the claim of the national chairman of the Association of Distributors and Transporters of Petroleum, Alhaji Mohammed Danzaki.
He revealed that the group is just attention seekers as NARTO is the only known group in the downstream sector by government players.
“We don’t know ADITOP. The government only relates with NARTO for the haulage of petroleum products.
“We are the owners of vehicles and the petroleum tanker drivers are our drivers. If they say they are the owners, who are their drivers?
“NARTO is the only recognized association that discusses with the government on haulage; we discuss with PTD on drivers’ allowances.”
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