The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Depot Chairmen Forum has threatened to withdraw its services over the non-payment of N200 billion bridging claims by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to its members since 2022.

This is just as the Forum exonerated its members from the current fuel scarcity in the country.

IPMAN noted that the scarcity was caused by its inability to source petroleum products.

The Chairman of the Forum, Yahaya Alhassan, said this while briefing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, April 30, 2024.

Alhassan said the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited was the sole importer of the product and the marketers could not source products from NNPCL deport, but rather from the private depots at a high rate.

He said: “We cannot buy fuel from the private depots at N950 and transport the product from Lagos to the North and other parts of the country with N2 million and still sell it at N900 or N1,000.

“It is expedient for us to state that we are more pained by the non-availability of petroleum products in the country, which has given rise to another round of untold hardship for Nigerians.

Scarcity: Lagos residents stranded as petrol hits N1,000/litre

“Contrary to claims that IPMAN members are hoarding Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) known as fuel, we would like to categorically state that PMS scarcity is wholly triggered by the inability to get fuel from NNPC and not IPMAN.”

On the non-payment of bridging claims, Alhassan said IPMAN was distressed and depressed by the laidback attitude of the NMDPRA towards the survival its member’s businesses, arising from its refusal to pay the claims.

The Forum chairman added: “It is with deep frustration that we have assembled here today as the IPMAN Depot Chairmen Forum. It is also disheartening to note that some of our members have completely shut down businesses and retrenched employees.

“As businessmen and women, our members acquired bank loans to keep their fuel retail outlets running on a daily basis across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria in order to serve the teeming population of Nigerians.”

Reacting, the Acting Head of Corporate Communications, NMDPRA, Seiyefa Osanebi, said the bridging claims payment was ongoing.

“The bridging claims payment is always an ongoing process,” she said.

Meanwhile, the NNPCL spokesman, Olufemi Soneye, said the disruption was due to logistical issues which, he said, had since been resolved.

Soneye said: “We currently have an availability of products exceeding 1.5 billion litres, which can last for at least 30 days.

“Unfortunately, we experienced a three-day disruption in distribution due to logistical issues, which has since been resolved.

“However, as you know, overcoming such disruptions typically requires double the amount of time to return to normal operations.

“Some folks are taking advantage of this situation to maximise profits. Thankfully, product scarcity has been minimal lately, but these folks might be exploiting the situation for unwarranted gain.”

The Star