IPMAN Blames Private Depot Owners For Hike In PMS Price

THE Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) on Tuesday blamed private depot owners for the hike in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in some parts of Nigeria.

IPMAN’s National President, Mr Chinedu Okoronkwo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that some of the private depot owners had not reduced their ex-depot price for PMS, also known as petrol.

Some independent marketers are still selling PMS from between N180 and N200 per litre in their stations, especially in the interior areas of Lagos and Ogun States.

“Some of our members are still buying products at higher ex-depot prices, hence you see that some of them are selling more than the approved pump price of N165.

“IPMAN is appealing to the government and relevant authorities to engage these depot owners to revert to the old price regime so that there will be some kind of uniformity in the price of petrol,” he said.

Okoronkwo said the scarcity of PMS experienced across the country in the past few weeks was almost coming to an end.

He advised the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd., to increase the volume of products being supplied to Port Harcourt, Calabar and other coastal areas to ensure a smooth distribution.

On the compensation of motorists affected by the imported off-spec petrol, he said IPMAN members were still compiling the list which would be subjected to scrutiny.

Okoronkwo said, “We are compiling the list and very soon marketers will present it to the relevant government agencies.

“We want to make sure that some unscrupulous persons don’t take advantage of the situation to exploit the government.”

“We believe that those affected will be compensated at the end of the day and we are advising them to be patient and law abiding.”

Absolutely, When we came with the Buhari government in 2015 I became the minister. We were committed to a roadmap to establish a National Carrier, to concession the airports, to set up a leasing company, to establish cargo facilities and we have been doing that.”

On why the Buhari government wanted a national carrier, the minister responded: “Nigeria is situated at the centre of Africa, equidistant from all locations in Africa. 30.4 million square kilometres miles, 1.5 billion people, very green land. If Central and Eastern Africa is the belt of the continent, then Nigeria is the buckle. 200 million people and rising middle class, propensity to fly is high. Nigeria is a candidate for National Carrier.”

Sirika who insisted that the coming national carrier will be private sector driven added; “Private. Yes. 5 per cent government and no government stepping right in that company, no government control, no membership of government on board. Totally private and committed.

“Whatever we say we will do as a government since 2015, it has happened. that is why Tim Clark of Emirates, Qatar Airways and all of them are looking to go into Nigeria in multiple frequencies and multiple landing points because Nigeria is the right place for the airline business.