The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has urged the Federal Government to impose an official price on private depots across the country.
The marketers asked the Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to mandate private depot owners to sell petroleum products at approved government prices.
This is contained in a statement by IPMAN kano chapter chairman Bashir Danmalam on Tuesday.
He said the call was necessary to check flagrant and indiscriminate increases in the ex-depot price.
Mr Danmalam said unless the NMDPRA ensured private depot owners sell the product at the approved price, they would continue to dispense the product to marketers at a higher price.
He also commended the federal government for the recent upward review of petroleum products’ transporters’ freight rate.
According to Mr Danmalam, the gesture would assist in checking the challenges associated with the transportation of petroleum products across the country and also refuted claims that about N1 billion was paid to Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC).
“I challenge all those making such claims to bring out relevant receipts for the payment of such money to enable the union to take up the matter. In February 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, NNPC introduced ‘customer express’ whereby payments for the purchase of petroleum products are done online,” the IPMAN official added. “And the NNPC then set up a committee which ensured that all those with tickets paid manually, were given the product.”
