Tina Amanda
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Rivers State chapter, has directed all owners and operators of filling stations to remain open in order to serve the public all through the period of total lockdown of Port Harcourt and Obio Akpor local government areas.
IPMAN State Chairman, Dr Obele Ngechu, who made this known to our correspondent Tina Amanda, said filling station operators are under essential needs on the federal government list as oil and gas workers.
He noted that filling stations being open will help to alleviate some of the hardship people may likely pass through as a result of the epileptic power supply in most areas.
The IPMAN Chairman stressed further that most filling station operators may not also open due to cost required to run their stations per day.
“We in the oil and gas sector, we are aware that we are under the essential needs of the federal government, we have directed that all filling stations remain open to render services to the public.
“But the unfortunate scenario is where a filling station using a diesel of about twenty five (25,000) naira per day and cars are unable to drive into the station due to the lockdown, so such filling station will not break even.
“Your cost analyst on what it will cost to operate your station per day in this total lockdown will determine whether such filling station will open or not, it is a decision that would have to be reached by management of stations. However, we have encouraged all stations in Rivers State to remain open”
