The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has promised to make petrol available nationwide immediately its members begin to receive the imported product currently berthed at the nation’s sea ports.
The Vice President of IPMAN, Alhaji Abubakar Maigandi, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
NAN reports that eight ships laden with petrol were expected to arrive the Apapa and Tin-Can Island Ports in Lagos from April 7 to April 12 to improve the supply of the commodity in the country.
Maigandi further said that members of the association would ensure that they sold the commodity to Nigerians 24 hours daily and at all their filling stations.
“I learnt that the vessels (laden with petroleum products) are already at the sea side waiting to discharge and immediately the products are discharged, we will expect our members to commence loading.
“We the members of IPMAN, promise Nigerians that immediately they start giving us these products, we will go ahead and sell 24 hours in the whole nation at various stations.
“So, we are expecting them to start loading and I assure you that the moment we start loading, the products will become available everywhere.’’
The IPMAN vice president said that the association would support every effort the government was making to end the lingering fuel scarcity in the country.
He said, to that end, IPMAN would keep to the agreement it had with the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu.
Commenting on how best to resolve the lingering fuel scarcity, Maigandi said that government had taken the right step by importing petrol to make up the shortfall in the demand for the product.
He, however, said that fuel supply, distribution, and availability would improve if the Federal Government were to remove subsidy.
“If the government can allow the prevailing market price to top, that is, removal of the subsidy and allow the marketers to play their role in the industry, I think, it will be better.’’
He said that the association would never sabotage any effort by the Federal Government to ensure normalcy in the sector.
He attributed the persistent fuel scarcity to inefficiency in the supply system, among many other challenges.
“Let me tell you, if the product is available, there is nothing like sabotaging the effort of the government.
“Whenever you hear the issue of sabotage, it means automatically that that particular commodity is not available because it is not only now that we are experiencing this kind of thing.
“So, if the product is available, we marketers are ready to sell because it is only when you sell that you will generate profit
“ If you don’t sell, you will not get anything.’’
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