The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), which has been having a face-off with the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), over the illegal increase in the pump price of petrol, has provided reasons for the hike.
IPMAN had said that the increase in pump price of petrol by many filling stations is due to the hike in the ex-depot price of the product by the private depot owners.
The reaction from IPMAN follows the 24-hour ultimatum given by IPMAN to members of NUPENG on Sunday to revert back to the N165 per litre official pump price, as fuel scarcity worsens in many parts of the country including Lagos, despite initial easing of the scarcity.
A great number of filling stations were closed over the weekend due to the non-availability of fuel with the product selling as high as N200-N300 per litre at the filling stations that have the products in some parts of Lagos, Ogun and Bayelsa states.
What IPMAN is saying
IPMAN who asked NUPENG to direct its threat to marketers pointed out that such directive from the oil workers union is not within its purview.
According to NAN, the Chairman of IPMAN, Benin Depot, Mr Douglas Iyike, who stated this on Monday in Lagos, said that NUPENG’s ultimatum was misplaced.
He emphasised that NUPENG as a union had no powers to take over the duties of regulatory agencies in the petroleum sector, adding that the increment is due to the hike in the ex-depot price of petrol which should be the area where NUPENG should direct its threat rather than directing same at marketers.
Iyike said, “We have read in newspapers the supposed 24-hour notice issued to marketers regarding the increment in the pump price of petrol.
“We want to place it on record that the increment is not due to any fault of oil marketers because we can only sell based on the price at which we buy petrol from the depots.
“There has been increment in the ex-depot price which has left marketers with no option than to increase the pump price of petrol above the official N165 per litre in recent weeks.
“We believe that addressing the issue of the ex-depot price should be the focus of NUPENG and not attempting to picket petrol stations which might lead to a breakdown of law and order.’’
Iyike urged NUPENG to channel its energy to the activities of some of its members who engage in reckless driving, illegal charges and diversion of petroleum products, instead.
That was the right response as issuing such threats has even worsen the situation because many marketers are afraid to buy as a result locking their fuel stations because they don’t want to run at lost and also been sanctioned