N800bn Subsidy: IPMAN Describes Oil Marketers Ultimatum To Cease Depot Operations As Sabotage

By Umar Isa

Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) on Sunday described oil Marketers ultimatum to cease depots operations tomorrow, Monday as sabotage.

The Association urged NNPC  to suspend supply of petroleum products to the marketers if they cease depots operations as they have threatened to serve as a sanction to the unpatriotic moves o the oil marketers.

IPMAN Chairman Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Kaduna and Yobe Zone, Alhaji Bashir Dan Malam stated this in an interview with Solacebase.

The marketers, under the aegis of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA) and Independent Petroleum Products Importers (IPPIs) in a joint statement on December 2 said that failure to meet the deadline will force its members to disengage their workers at the depots from fuel loading.

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According to him “We would sue NNPC if the oil marketers cease depot operations and subsequently they are supplied petroleum products after their action which is a deliberate attempt to make Nigerians suffer as it is their tradition.

He said the claims of N800 billion subsidy arrears by the marketers is doubtable calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the claims as they are not genuine.

“The subsidy arrears of the oil marketers is not genuine as they were shortchanging the federal government. When the Federal Government directed them to sell petrol to us at N133.20k per liter, on the contrary, they sell to us at N134 and N 135.50 .

“ With all these, they still want to claim subsidy despite the fact that the oil marketers do not take to the directive of the federal government to sell to us at a subsidized price”.

Alhaji Bashir Dan Malam urged Nigerians not to embark on panic buying as the 21 NNPC  depots across the country have petrol that can last for more than 5 months.

He urged the PPMC not to be intimidated to supply fuel to the oil marketers if they dare make real their threat of closure of depots from tomorrow.