By Tina Amanda
The Independent Petroleum Marketers of Nigeria (IPMAN) Rivers State has reacted to the statement made by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva.
Recall that on Monday 1st August 2022, the minister said the government is not aware of filling stations selling above one hundred and sixty-five (165) naira fuel pump price, noting the increase is coming from marketers and not the government.
Reacting to the statement IPMAN chairman Rivers State, Dr. Joseph Obele, said that the minister was not saying the truth, insisting that the sole importer of petroleum products in Nigeria is Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC).
He disclosed that out of the nineteen (19) tank farms in Rivers State, only three are selling for PPMC which is the government, noting that the three tank farms lacks the right to importation.
According to him, “PPMC imports and distribute to tank farms or private depots across the states in Nigeria. They have refused to allocate any to government-owned depots, hence government-owned depots that are without activities.
“The reason is because they can not adjust the price at government-owned depots. They will mandate private depots to sell for them claiming they are not aware of the increment by private depots. If they are sincere, they should send the vessels to government-owned depots and not private depots.
“Marketers are buying at 169 per liter as at yesterday from the private tank farms, those depots are selling PPMC product which is government-owned products.
“The recent increment on PMS is a government strategy to reduce the huge burden of imported landing cost of PMS which is far above the approved template by the government.
“Marketers are selling strictly based on our buying rate from the government and the government is aware of our buying rate and our selling rate.
“Government can make such statement to journalists who are not Marketers, they can’t say much to us the critical stakeholders of the sector”.
He further noted that the way forward is to fix the nation’s refineries so that Nigerians can buy fuel below eighty (80) naira per liter.
