Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has threatened that there will be another round of fuel scarcity in the country if the federal government, through the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) fails to pay it’s bridging claims (transportation claims) to the tune of N500 billion.
IPMAN chairman, Kano State, Bashir Dan-Mallam in a press conference, said the failure of the NMDPRA to pay the bridging claims for about nine months, had forced many of its members out of business due to the high cost of diesel.
“NMDPRA is responsible for the payment of bridging claims otherwise known as transportation claims. Failure of the NMDPRA to pay the outstanding claims for about nine months, many marketers cannot transport the product because their funds are not being paid. Despite the high price of diesel, they manage to supply petroleum products nationwide.
“The resurfacing of fuel queues in Abuja is just the tip of the iceberg with regard to the petroleum scarcity,” he stated.
According to Dan-Mallam, out of 100 percent, only five per cent of the marketers can supply the petroleum products because of the failure of NMDPRA to pay them.
He further lamented that since the amalgamation of DPR, PEF and PPRA to NMDPRA, the agency had paid the marketers only twice.
“As leaders, we have to come out to say the truth because our members are suffering from the failure of the agency to pay the fund. This Petroleum Equalisation Fund is our own money we contribute to each litre. This Agency is doing more harm than good to us,” he said.
Dan-Mallam added that Nigerians should not blame their members for the looming fuel scarcity but rather should blame NMDPRA.
