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Fuel Queues May Linger as IPMAN Drags NNPCL over Price War
…Sell petrol to us below N900 or refund our N15bn, the Marketers tell NNPCL
Like a quiet storm, a price war has started raging between the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL. And if the problem is not quickly resolved, it may compound the nightmares of motorists who, aside from spiraling pump price of fuel, may have to go through the needle’s eye to get the product.
On Thursday, the marketers pointedly told the national oil company to either sell premium motor spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, to them at the same rate offered by Dangote Petroleum Refinery or refund their money, which they alleged NNPCL has been sitting on for the past three months. The money, they claimed, is a staggering N15 billion.
National President of IPMAN, Alhaji Abubakar Shettima, pushed the association’s position in an interview with Channels Television, Thursday, saying the NNPCL must comply with their demand or refund their money.
Shettima urged NNPCL to expedite action on the refund as the delay in paying may further impose serious financial strain on them.
Hear the IPMAN President: “Our major challenge now is that already, we have an outstanding debt by the NNPC and the company collected product through Dangote refinery at a lower rate — not up to N900.
“Presently, our money has been with them (NNPCL) for almost three months.
“But with the recent changes, we have requested that they sell to us at Dangote price or return our money. That’s the current situation and it’s the reason for the (renewed) scarcity. We started negotiation yesterday.”
Shettima revealed that the national oil company has directed the IPMAN members “to buy the product from them at the rate of N1,010 in Lagos, N1,045 in Calabar, N1,050 in Port Harcourt, and N1,040 in Warri”.
The marketers are displeased by NNPCL’s advice to them to buy petrol directly from the Dangote refinery.
Shettima said: “We have a problem with that because already, we buy products from them.
“So, when they made this increment, they told us to add money and buy above what Dangote is selling products to them.
“That is the reason we told them to return our monies to our banks so that we can go directly to Dangote refinery and buy, if that’s the case.
“The NNPC does not sell on credit and we buy products ahead of loading. Anytime they have products, they will call us to collect our products.”
Unless this impasse between NNPCL and IPMAN is speedily resolved, Nigerians, indeed, motorists, may be in for rougher and tougher times ahead as queues at filling stations may linger.
