Fuel crisis looms as depot owners increase pump price

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in Kano State has called on the Federal Government to take steps to avert a looming fuel crisis in the country.

The chairman of the state chapter of the union, Alhaji Bashir Danmallam, made the call in a statement issued in Kano on Friday.

According to him, some of the private depot owners had increased the price of the commodity from N148 per litre to between N153 and N155 per litre since Friday last week.

He said the association found it necessary to alert the government in order not to blame its members if they increase the price of the commodity as they would not operate at a loss.

“Some private depot owners are trying to sabotage the Federal Government by unilaterally increasing their prices even though the government has not raised the fuel pump price.

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“We are equally calling on the Management of the NNPC to investigate the issue as some of the private depot owners have since Friday last week increased the price from N148 per litre to between N153 and N155 per litre. We know it’s only the Federal Government that imports fuel into the country.

“As I am talking to you, private depot owners in Warri, Calabar Lagos and Oghara in Delta State have increased their prices. We hope the management of the NNPC will investigate and intervene,” Danmalam said.

Also, he accused the private depot owners of trying to cause a fuel crisis in the country by closing the depots as the end of the year draws near to maximize profit.

He said the association would not fold its arms and allow such unpatriotic private depot owners to engage in unnecessary price increase while the public is always accusing its members of deliberately increasing fuel prices.