Princewill Demian
12 January 2017, Sweetcrude, Abuja – President of the Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Elder Chinedu Okoronkwo, has said that the Association would collaborate with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to tackle the lingering fuel crises.
Addressing journalists on Thursday in Abuja, the IPMAN boss explained that the NNPC has already set up various committees with the aim of tackling fuel scarcity, adding that IPMAN would play a critical role in ameliorating the situation.
Okoronkwo lamented that court action against him as the Association’s elected president slowed down activities of IPMAN, saying that his affirmation by the court has put to rest all distractions impeding activities of IPMAN.
He said, “Following the Senate investigative hearing last week, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu has constituted various committees towards solving fuel crisis. We will collaborate with NNPC to solve fuel crisis.”
He further explained that IPMAN has been infiltrated with non-members who diverts fuel to black markets, adding that they would also collaborate on surveillance of filling stations across the country.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has enjoined motorists in Abuja, its environs and other parts of the country not to engage in any panic buying of petroleum products.
NNPC assured motorists that the Corporation has robust stock of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol, which is sufficient to serve the nation for more than 30 days.
This plea comes on the heels of queues noticeable in some fuel stations, especially in Abuja.
“Motorists are advised to report any marketer selling above N145 per litre of petrol or hoarding the products to the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) which is statutorily empowered to deal with such issues. DPR has offices located in all parts of the country,” NNPC noted in a statement.
It added that law enforcement agencies would mete out appropriate sanctions to operators of fuel stations who engage in hoarding or sell products above the recommended band.
