The lndependent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has dispelled the report that marketers will shut down operations once the government starts the enforcement of N195 per litre pump price on Monday.

The IPMAN National Operations Controller, Mike Osatuyi, made this known via a statement issued on Monday.

Osatuyi said the insinuation that marketers have concluded plans to shut down operations from Monday should be disregarded.

The IPMAN Publicity Officer, lbadan Depot, Mojeed Adesope, last Friday, called for the shutdown of all IPMAN filling stations due to the government’s pronouncement that the pump price of petrol should not exceed N195 per litre.

Adesope said dealers, particularly independent marketers, described the development as tough due to the high ex-depot price of the commodity.

Osatuyi, however, said Adesope has no mandate to talk on behalf of the national body of IPMAN.

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The IPMAN official stated that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) is preparing the logistics to start supplying petrol to IPMAN members directly.

He advised members to open up their stations and start selling to the public nationwide, adding that IPMAN was a responsible association that would not undermine national security as petrol was a national security product.

“Apart from IPMAN members loading at DAPPMAN depots in Abule-Ado, Ijegun, Lagos, DAPPMAN has also agreed to sell petrol at N172 per litre to IPMAN members, as part of the Federal Government and DAPMAN efforts in ensuring Nigerians enjoy the subsidy regime,” Osatuyi noted.

He added that lPMAN would soon load at NIPCO and MRS depots massively for South-West and North- West.

Osatuyi said the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) must be applauded for cancelling the N3 union charges on petrol in loading depots in the last two days.

He, however, urged the government to advise NUPENG/PTD to bring down the transportation cost to various parts of the country where a reasonable profit will be made by the transport owners.

He added that the benefits of subsidy would equally be enjoyed by the public so as to enable IPMAN members sell at reasonable and near-approved prices nationwide.

The Star