The Ogun State chapter of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has attributed the current scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit, otherwise known as petrol, in the state to the Federal Government and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited failure to make the product available for its members at an affordable prices.

IPMAN equally said no single NNPC depot in the country has petrol, noting that it was not responsible for the current scarcity of the product.

It made this known via a statement issued on Sunday by the Mosinmi Depot Chairman, Femi Adelaja.

The association stated that since petrol is not available in NNPC depots, the private depot owners in Lagos State have been selling the product to its members at a price of N215, excluding the cost of transportation and other costs.

IPMAN said: “Leadership of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in Ogun State has noticed with serious concerns, the scarcity of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) commonly referred to as petrol across towns and cities in Ogun State, with its attendant hike in the dispensing price above the federal government stipulated price.

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“Be informed that this crisis was not caused by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), but rather, the Federal Government and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), who have failed to make the product available for our members at an affordable prices.

“As we speak, PMS is not available in any of the NNPC’s depot across the country.

“The few litres being sold to members of the public by our members were secured from management of private depots in Lagos, who would sell the product to us at an exorbitant price of between N215 and N220 per litre.

“Prior till now, IPMAN members do get our supplies from the NNPC depots at N148.17k, but since it’s not available in these depots, the private depot owners in Lagos now sell to us at a price of N215.30k, excluding the cost of transportation and other handling and overhead costs.

“So, by the time we add other over head cost to the price of purchase, it brings the landing cost of fuel to between N245 and N250 per litre, excluding transportation, which costs charges N15 per litre, from Lagos to Abeokuta depending on the location to offload such.

“This implied that for us to dispense the product, which we got from a third-hand to members of the public and also meet up with the other overhead costs including running of the filling stations on generator and payment of staff, we have to sell at the price of N270 per litre which we are selling currently across Ogun State,” the statement read.

The Star