Oscarline Onwuemenyi
21 January 2016, Sweetcrude, Abuja — The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has refuted reports that the association will embark on a nationwide strike over perceived imbalance in the sharing and distribution of petroleum products to marketers.
Some IPMAN members had reportedly threatened that the association would embark on a strike because it felt slighted by recent actions by the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) regarding the sharing formula for petrol distribution.
IPMAN National Operations Controller, Comrade Mike Osatuyi, in a statement debunked the strike threat. He said IPMAN has not given any ultimatum on nationwide strike.
Osatuyi said the association learnt that some marketers who are not members of IPMAN are spreading the misleading information among the public. He said: “Our attention has been drawn to a media briefing by some marketers parading themselves as IPMAN members, calling for a nationwide strike over petroleum product sharing formula.
“The national body did not plan any strike. We, the national body of the union is not planning to embark on any strike, because we don’t have any issues with the government whatsoever. I appeal to Nigerians and all independent marketers to go ahead with their normal businesses and avoid creating panic buying in the market.”
He lauded the leadership of the NNPC over the petroleum distribution formula, adding that IPMAN has not been in anyway slighted in the present sharing and distribution formula.
According to him, “Independent marketers were given the opportunity to buy products at government approved ex-depot price which enabled us sell at government’s approved pump price of N86.50 per litre.”
Osatuyi further praised NNPC over petrol intervention scheme given to marketers to augment distribution, urging government to make the product available to marketers.
He commended the steps taken by President Muhammadu Buhari to reposition the NNPC for greater efficiency. He said the measures inspire hope and confidence in the future of the nation.
He noted that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Group Managing Director, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, is a renowned oil industry expert with the requisite global exposure, competence and integrity.
He said it was important for all IPMAN members to showcase what government was doing about special intervention fuel supply to marketers, which came to their stations at no extra cost. The Federal Government, through NNPC/PPMC, should be lauded for these special schemes.
“The only way to ensure total eradication of queues in the country is when this intervention of petrol supply is sustainable,” he said.
Osatuyi urged the NNPC and PPMC to ensure sustainability of supply so their members could sell at approved price of N86.50 per litre.
A group that identified themselves as IPMAN members had issued a 14-day ultimatum to the NNPC to regularise the present formula or risk stoppage of operations.
