The Independent Petroleum Marketers of Nigeria (IPMAN) has blamed the increase in the pump price of petrol in South-Eastern states on the increase in price at private depots.
This disclosure was made by the Chairman of IPMAN, Enugu Depot, Mr Chinedu Anyaso, during an interview with the press in Awka on Wednesday.
Anyaso, who is in charge of Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu States, was reacting to the increase in pump price from N165 to between N168 and N175 per litre in most independent marketers’ outlets in the zone.
What the IPMAN Chairman, Enugu Depot is saying
Anyaso who said its members were operating from a disadvantaged position, noted that while operators of private depots in Warri and Calabar sell petrol for N165 per litre in their retail outlets, they increased the price at which they sell to IPMAN members.
He said: “The price of petrol at the private depots where our members source products is not the same for everybody, and that it had become impossible for them (IPMAN members) to sell at N165 per litre.
“At the moment, we buy N156 per litre, pay N1 loading cost and N6 for transportation, that means our landing cost is N163.
“Our appeal is that NNPC should allow us to buy from it (NNPC) or direct private depots to sell at N147.17. This will enable our people in the Southeast to enjoy the normal price of N165.’’
According to NAN, Anyaso said some government agencies were already harassing its members, threatening to shut them down, wondering why this should be so, instead of the authorities controlling cost at the depots.
He said, “The Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) is harassing our members for selling above N165, instead of controlling prices at private depots where we buy products.
“The problem is at the private depots.
“They should find out what is going wrong there and correct it because we may have to take extra measures to stop extortion of our members in the name of price compliance if our discussion fails.’’
However, the Operations Controller of NMDPRA in Enugu, Mr Stanley Ngene, said there was no price increase in Enugu. He said marketers were selling at N165 per litre and warned that those caught selling above that rate would be penalised.
What you should know
- There have been reported cases of petrol being sold at the official government-approved price in some parts of the country as well as a scarcity of the product.
- In a related development, IPMAN had yesterday, assured Nigerians of the availability of petroleum products across the country during the yuletide.
- The assurance by IPMAN follows reports of the reappearance of fuel queues in Abuja and some parts of the country.
- The association had also appealed to NMDPRA to hasten the payment of billions of naira to marketers as bridging cost to marketers to enable seamless operations.
