IPMAN makes U-turn, tells members to resume operations

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Borno State Chapter, on Tuesday directed its members to immediately reopen all its outlets across the state.

The association said this in a statement by its chairman, Mohammed Kuluwu.

The state chapter of IPMAN had earlier ordered its members to suspend payments for petroleum products and other operations until further notice.

The association said the decision followed the loss being recorded by its members who are being compelled by the government and its agencies to sell petroleum products at certain prices.

“You are all hereby directed to suspend selling at all filling stations and also suspend payment of ordering products from source until further notice,” the statement said.

But in another statement made available to PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday, the association directed its members in the state to resume operations.

“Having met with the concerned authority, all filling stations should open with immediate effect and continue selling while the association continues with further consultation and accordingly keeps you informed,” the statement said.

Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview Tuesday afternoon, the spokesperson of the association in the state, Abdulkadir Mustapha, confirmed the new directive.

“Yes, the suspension notice is genuine but we have already resolved the issue and directed all our members to reopen their stations,” he said.

Earlier on Monday, IPMAN had appealed to the Nigerian government for more time to sell petroleum products at the official price of N195 per litre.

Joseph Akanni, Vice Chairman of IPMAN, Western Zone, said regulatory agencies enforced the pump price of petrol at N195 per litre at all filling stations across the country.

“We have already instructed our members not to buy high-priced petroleum products. We will only be buying products from NNPC,” he told the News Agency of Nigeria in Ibadan, Oyo State.

“We have also advised our members not to buy any products that they can’t sell at N195 litre according to the Federal Government guideline. Most of our members paid to the private depot owners almost three to four weeks ago and they were yet to supply them but started to supply them now.

“We have pleaded with the authority to give us time to sell off the products, this is against the backdrop that our members want to go on rampage. That is not true.”

Scarcity

In recent months, Nigerians have had a tough time getting petroleum products at filling stations across the country. The scarcity has persisted despite the government’s repeated claims it had enough petroleum products in stock amid a poor supply of electricity across the country.

Last month, President Muhammadu Buhari approved the constitution of a 14-member steering committee to address the supply and distribution of petroleum products across the country.

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The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), also attributed the lingering fuel scarcity in the country to a disruption in the product distribution chain caused by the activities of cross-border smugglers.

However, the agency claimed that there is petrol sufficiency in the country.

Despite the government’s position, PREMIUM TIMES’ found that Nigerians have continued to suffer from scarcity of petrol across the country.