IPMAN warns marketers against rumour of imminent fuel scarcity
In ensuring stability in the country, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) have advised the general public to avoid panic buying of fuel as it said that there is no intending fuel scarcity in the country.
The National President, Alhaji Aminu Abdulkadri gave the assurance in a media briefing on Monday against the insinuations rumour over proposed fuel scarcity in the country.
Abdulkadri said that there is very stable fuel supply in the country, urged members of the public to avoid panic buying, adding that there is no reason for panic buying.
“There is no scarcity of fuel in the country, marketers or Nigerians should stop promulgating wrong signals over scarcity of petroleum products.
“ We are lodging petroleum products adequately from all NNPC depots across the country and we don't think there any proposed scarcity because NNPC and PPMC have assured us of sufficient stock in the country,'' he said.
He said that in spite of the unending challenges posed by pipeline vandalism and product theft the country through the NNPC and its subsidiary has sufficient stock of products in its marine reserve and national strategic reserve to ensure that the country remains wet with petroleum products round the clock.
He cautioned members of the public against any form of hoarding or panic buying of petroleum products in anticipation of scarcity
“The fuel situation in the country is quite stable; no cause for alarm, this smooth supply of products had been sustained for period of two-years.
“ I wantto assure Nigrians that the Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke through the Group Managing Director, NNPC, Engr. Andrew Yakubu, and the Managing Director, PPMC, Mr Haruna Momoh in conjunction with IPMAN president we have been working tirelessly in ensuring we maintained the temple,'' he said
According to Abdulkadri “l want to assured our members that there is no cause for alarm, we need to step up our bridging in area where products supply is lakcing we should augment, because vandalisation of the products pipelines had been a serious menace of the country.
“NNPC, PPMC and leadership of IPMAN has been on top of the situation we should not encourage anybody that will portray the country bad by saying we are running out of fuel.
“What we have in the country currently is adequate. And we have equally aggred with the Petroleum Equilaisation Fund (PEF) to ensure payment of marketers bridging claims as at when due, which at the moment the agency is doing its best.
The IPMAN boss said that in furtherance to the realization of democracy by the Federal Government, the honorable minister of petroleum has agreed to sustained the supply of Kero-Direct to Nigerians.
This l believes we go a long way in assisting the Nigeria masses to benefit from the programme as it was used to be.
He therefore appeal to marketer s to lives above all oodles, as he promised that IPMAN executive to hesitate to use internal mechanism in sanctioning any erring marketers found wanting.
Abdulkadri said that IPMAN which controlled about 87 per cent retail outlets in the country and by extension controlling the large haulage of the sector will ensure that the nationwide tour on Kero-Direct is continuous.
He said that the minister of petroleum had approved though the GMD NNPC and MD PPMC in conjuction with IPMAN president in ensuring that kerosene product gets to the common masses in all nocks and cronies of the country.
“We are going to use our structure to ensure that the masses gets the product in all remote areas so that Nigerians continue to enjoy the divided of democracy that President Goodluck Jonathan as promised.
“Whosoever that understand the oil and gas sector kn owns that it's a volatile sector, and any destruction of pipeline by vandals will affect the process of supply but IPMAN and PPMC are on top of the situation in bridged the gap at all times,'' Abdulkadri promised.
He said that the association is fully ready to supply products through the NNPC and PPMC to bridge any slow supply in any location of the country which lack prompt and adequate products supply.