The Independent Petroleum Markers Association of Nigeria, Lagos State chapter, has accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation of undersupplying its members with Premium Motor Spirit.
It said if the situation persists, its members in Lagos State and parts of Ogun State may be forced to shut their filling stations by December 11.
In a statement on Thursday signed its chairman, Alhaji Alanamu Balogun, vice chairman, Pastor Gbenga Ilupeju, and secretary, Prince Kunle Oyenuga, IPMAN noted that no fewer than 900 filling stations will be shut down in Lagos.
The association particularly complained of a shortage of product supply to Ejigbo satellite depot, which, it said, serves more than 900 filling stations in Lagos.
IPMAN alleged that the NNPC was not only undersupplying its members with PMS, it was also frustrating them by reneging on the bulk purchase agreement it signed with its members to supply the product to them at N133.28k per litre.
It said with undersupply from the NNPC, its members were being forced to approach the Depot and Petroleum Marketers Association, which allegedly buys at N117 per litre from the NNPC and resells to IPMAN members at N141 per litre.
It said at that rate it had become unrealistic for them to continue to sell to the end users at the regulated price of N145 and still expect to break even in business.
The body pleaded for the immediate intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, the Department of Petroleum Resources, the National Assembly, and the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, to avert an imminent fuel crisis in the nation’s commercial nerve centre.
“We have endured enough and are set for a showdown with the NNPC for irregular supply at Ejigbo satellite depot, Lagos,” the association said.
“We have held many meetings with both the NNPC and DAPMAN, questioning why should the NNPC supplies fuel to DAPMAN at N117 per litre and DAPMAN will turn around to sell the same fuel to IPMAN members at N141 and the NNPC wants marketers to sell to the public at N145 per litre.
“The NNPC made it as a condition that we must renew our agreement with it or we will not get fuel supply. This agreement has been renewed yet, the NNPC has refused to supply us with fuel. The same agreement the NNPC signed with us is what it signed with DAPMAN. While DAPMAN gets supplies, IPMAN members are being denied fuel supply, which means the NNPC officials are into a game.
“The Federal Government should step into this matter between now and December 11 to avoid fuel crisis,” IPMAN said.
