House Seeks End To Fuel Shortage, Mediates In IPMAN Crisis

BEVERLY HILLS, CA, April 02, (THEWILL) - Apparently worried about the effects of fuel scarcity on Nigerians, the House of Representatives Thursday directed its joint committees on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and Labour to meet with the two factions of the Independent Petroleum Marketers of Nigeria (IPMAN) and resolve the lingering leadership problem within the union.

The directive was consequent upon the approval of a motion of urgent national importance brought by the chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources, Hon Dakuku Peterside (APC, Rivers).

The lawmaker in moving the motion noted that the closure of NIPCO and the involvement of NUPENG in the crisis spells doom for availability of fuel in the country and as such, efforts must be made by the lawmakers to ensure that more action that will cause more hardship for Nigerians is forestalled.

"If we allow this leadership crisis to continue without doing something, Nigerians will be the ones to bear the brunt," he stated while leading debate on the motion.

The Speaker of the House, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, however called for caution in going about the intervention in order not to commit a contempt of court since the matter of IPMAN leadership is before a competent court.

IPMAN has been engulfed in a leadership crisis over which factional national president should be recognised.

As a result of the crisis, the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) shut down NIPCO, a subsidiary of IPMAN, leading to a total paralysis of commercial activities and threatening distribution of petroleum products across the country.

SAINT MUGAGA, ABUJA