The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, yesterday, blamed the current fuel crisis on hoarding of the commodity by some depot owners and petroleum products marketers.
In a statement in Abuja, National Secretary of IPMAN, Mr. Danladi Pasali lamented that despite the availability of the products in the country, some depots owners take advantage of the high demand of the commodity during the festive period to create artificial scarcity in order to dupe Nigerians.
Pasali, who was speaking after a brief meeting with officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, called on the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR and other regulators in the petroleum downstream sector to exercise their responsibility by increasing their supervisory role on the marketers at all levels.
He reminded the NNPC of the hitches in the current distribution system which allows some depots owners to determine prices on products that belongs to NNPC, while he assured the NNPC of its readiness to assist in ensuring smooth distribution once the products is made available to them and at the affordable prices. “We are calling all our members that engaged in sharp practices to desist in doing so in the interest of the masses and country at large,” he said.
The IPMAN officials acknowledged the efforts of NNPC GMD, Dr Maikanti Baru and the Managing Director of the Nigerian Petroleum Marketing Company, Alhaji Umar Ajiya for taking lead in restoring sanity into the system, more especially reviving the depots such in Ibaban and Ejigbo-satellite depot, at the same time acknowledged revival of Kaduna and Warri refineries to encourage smooth distribution of Petroleum products to other parts of the country.
Pasali, who also blamed the long queues on panic buying, acknowledged the efforts of the NNPC Group Managing Director, Mr Maikanti Baru and the Managing Director of the Nigerian Petroleum Marketing Company, NPMC, Mr. Umar Ajiya, for taking lead in restoring sanity into the system, more especially for reviving some of the depots such as the Ibaban and Ejigbo-satellite depot.
He also commended The NNPC for the revival of the Kaduna and Warri refineries, stating that it would encourage smooth distribution of petroleum products in some parts of the country.
