…blames marketers for prolong scarcity
THE Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) have said that they will embark on comprehensive monitoring of the distribution and sale of petrol at service stations across the country.
According to a statement made available to National Daily, and signed by DPR’s Director, Mordecai Ladan, every effort is being made to ensure that petroleum products supply and distribution situation in the country is normalized.
“Marketers must ensure that petroleum products get across to Nigerians timely and at the regulated prices” Ladan said.
He further stated: “Government is making petroleum products sufficiently available, therefore, DPR urges all operators of petroleum product depots, filling stations as well as tanker drivers and other stakeholders to desist from unwholesome activities of hoarding, diversion, adulteration and pump manipulation in order to avoid untoward hardship to motorists and the general public.”
According to him, the security agencies will work with the DPR to arrest and prosecute any errant marketer involved in sabotaging government commitment at making petroleum products readily available to Nigerians.
In its own statement signed by IPMAN interim management secretary, Lawson Ngoa, its reconciliation committee has in carrying out its task scheduled to visit all petrol depots operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other private depots in the country as part of its monitoring to ensure that product distribution and supply are in order.
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The statement by Ngoa said: “The committee has vowed to checkmate unwholesome practices by persons who are into hoarding or diverting products to neighbouring African countries thereby exacerbating the scarcity in Nigeria.”
They further stated their commitment to assist government in making petroleum products available and thus called on all marketers and stakeholders in the sector to commit to the same.
IPMAN also called on all its members marketers that have pending tickets to send their names and depots to its reconciliation committee in their respective zones.
Meanwhile, the DPR has shifted the blame to the oil marketers, as it argued that the Federal Government was making the product sufficiently available. It stated that some marketers were involved in hoarding, product diversion and adulteration, among other misconducts, but warned that it would not hesitate to arrest and prosecute errant operators.
Mordecai Ladan, observed that the prolonged fuel crisis might have to do with sabotage, and stressed that the agency, in collaboration with security forces, would arrest defaulters.
He said, “Every effort is being made to ensure that the petroleum products’ supply and distribution situation in the country is normalised. Marketers must ensure that petroleum products get across to Nigerians quickly and at the regulated prices.