Subsidy debt: IPMAN seeks urgent passage of supplementary budget by NASS; warns members against hoarding of petrol

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Wednesday, appealed to the National Assembly to expedite action over passage of the supplementary budget submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Assistant National Secretary of the association, Alhaji Ahmed Fashola, made the appealed in an interactive session with the energy correspondents in Lagos against the back drop of ongoing fuel scarcity in the country.

Federal Government, penultimate week, approved the payment of N413 billion to oil marketers, being part of their outstanding payments for subsidy claims. More than 90 per cent of the supplementary budget is for the subsidy claims to be paid to oil marketers.

“I am appealing to the National Assembly to urgently pass the supplementary budget into law to arrest the going incessant fuel scarcity in the country. Government should also do the needful speedily to ensure payment of the marketer’s subsidy claims.

“At the IPMAN level, we are also appealing to our members to try their best to assist government in resolving the persistent scarcity,’’ he said.

Fashola assured that all independent marketers would begin 24-hours operations in their stations to reduce queues.

He added that surveillance and monitoring teams had been inaugurated to check defaulters.

The secretary promised that the scarcity would soon end as the NNPC management had assured its members of sufficient supplies.

“And based on the loading template, we have started seeing the changes,’’ he added.

According to him, the national body of the association has directed all members, operating in major cities, to avoid hoarding or selling above pump price.

He advised that any marketer that has any challenge in dispensing products should contact the security operatives, the IPMAN zonal offices or headquarters in Abuja.

Fashola commended the NNPC for ensuring direct supply of petrol to IPMAN members in order to stem the ongoing fuel scarcity.

According to him, am saddled to bring the marketers together ensure that we solve our internal problem so that we can actually protect our business,

“We the IPMAN western zone to bounce back and continue their oil and gas business driven that will protect the collective and financial interest of members.

“We want to come back fully as a one united association that is our focus for now and reason why l was appointment by the national body of IPMAN to coordinate marketers in the south west region, ‘’ he said.