Petrol price: NNPC, oil marketers await outcome of FG, Labour deliberations

Both the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and oil marketers are waiting for the final outcome of the deliberations between the Federal Government and the Organised Labour on pump price of petrol.

Asked how prepared was the NNPC for the resolution of the labour and government, the Corporation’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kennie Obateru, said the corporation is just waiting for the outcome of the deliberations.

He however said the NNPC would continue to retain the current ex-depot price pending any directive or announcement from the Federal Government.

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Obateru said: “The GMD made everything clear as to the real situation of the position of things. If it was left to us, we (NNPC) would like to recover the full cost of production.

“So, our ex-depot price will remain until such an agreement is reached. We are just waiting for them to come to that amicable resolution. Once it is communicated to us we take the next steps”.

Meanwhile, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) on Saturday admonished the government to either retain the payment of petrol subsidy or deregulate the petrol price fully.

Its National Vice President, Alhaji Abubakar Maigandi, who spoke in a telephone interview, said as much as the product will be available nationwide, the independent marketers were ready to comply with the awaited Federal Government/labour decision in as much as the petrol would be available nationwide.

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Maigandi said: “Whatever the government resolves with the labour we are ready to accept provided the product is available nationwide”.

Commenting on the petrol market on phone yesterday, the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) Executive Secretary, Mr. Clement Isong noted that members of the association were still buying petrol from NNPC since they could not import.

Asked when the marketers would start importing products, he said that they were waiting for the Federal Government and labour to come out with their resolution.

He said as law-abiding citizens, the marketers would comply with whatever announcement the government would make.

His words: “We buy products from the NNPC and we sell them to the public. We can’t do anything we just buy from NNPC.

“We are all waiting for the government and labour to come to an agreement. We will wait when they are ready and we will follow them. We are law-abiding citizens, we will follow what the government wants”.