IPMAN seeks urgent passage of supplementary budget

Warns members against hoarding of petrol

Apparently worried over the huge outstanding subsidy debt, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has urged the National Assembly to expedite action over passage of the supplementary budget submitted by the presidency.

The need to urgently pass the supplementary budget was necessitated by the lingering fuel scarcity owing to non importation of products by marketers that are now groaning under the subsidy outstanding.

The Federal Government has on November 4, approved the payment of N413 billion to oil marketers, being part of their outstanding payments for subsidy claims.

The Assistant National Secretary, IPMAN, Alhaji Ahmed Fashola, in a chart with journalists in Lagos yesterday said, “i am appealing to the National Assembly to urgently pass the supplementary budget into law to arrest the going incessant fuel scarcity in the country.

“Government should also do the needful speedily to ensure payment of the marketer’s subsidy claims. At the IPMAN level, we are also appealing to our members to try their best to assist government in resolving the persistent scarcity,’’ he said.

Fashola assured that all independent marketers would begin 24-hours operations in their stations to reduce queues.

He added that surveillance and monitoring teams had been inaugurated to check defaulters.

The secretary promised that the scarcity would soon end as the NNPC management had assured its members of sufficient supplies.

“And based on the loading template, we have started seeing the changes,’’ he added.

According to him, the national body of the association has directed all members, operating in major cities, to avoid hoarding or selling above pump price.

He advised that any marketer that has any challenge in dispensing products should contact the security operatives, the IPMAN zonal offices or headquarters in Abuja.

Fashola commended the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for ensuring direct supply of petrol to IPMAN members in order to stem the ongoing fuel scarcity.

He alleged that some private depot owners were deliberately denying members of the association from lifting products.

He said that the national headquarters of IPMAN had nominated him to coordinate the western zone in pursuit of a common goal that would move the oil and gas industry forward.

According to him, am saddled to bring the marketers together ensure that we solve our internal problem so that we can actually protect our business,

“We  the IPMAN western zone to bounce back and continue their oil and gas business driven that will protect the collective and financial interest of members.

“We  want to come back fully as a one united association that is our focus for now and reason why l was appointment by the national body of IPMAN to coordinate marketers in the south west region, ‘’ he said.