IPMAN warns fuel scarcity may last ‘another two weeks’

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has warned that the current fuel scarcity might last for another two weeks.

This was contained in a statement issued on Monday by the IPMAN Public Relations Officer, Chief Chinedu Ukadike who said the Federal Government was yet to improve supply.

According to him, no inland depot has received clean petrol that would boost supply to filling stations.

Ukadike said the challenges facing the downstream sector were enormously urging the government to begin the process of compensating marketers who have lost a lot of money during the period.

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He explained: “Nothing much has changed in the last few days, the issue is that up till now we have not seen the intervention of the NNPC based on evacuating these products (bad fuel) from some of our stations. Some marketers are trying to see if they can get new products and blend it to see if they can move.

“Marketers capitals have been tied down and the bad product is also occupying their storage tank; and that is why you are seeing some skeletal services. Some also have their tanks quarantined, so it is not easy.

“We have been expecting products in the inland depots like the Port Harcourt Refinery depot; but up till now, no product has been received. These things happen. Once there is a break in the supply chain it will take some time to fix. Forget what people are saying it will take one-two to three weeks to fill in the gaps. It is talking about evacuating and replacing, it is not just about the shortage, it is also about evacuating and replacing”.

The IPMAN spokesman noted that while Port Harcourt where his based has not witnessed the acute shortage being experienced in many parts of the country; he said most of the marketers who have placed orders have not received the supply.

While urging consumers to be patient, he observed that many motorists have engaged in racketeering where they “fill up their tanks, go to sell to black marketers and return to the queues. I want to advise our people to stop patronizing black marketers, this will help also in solving the problem”, he added.

Chief Ukadike also disclosed that private depots have also increased their price to N163 per litre, stressing that it was impossible for marketers to sell at N165 per litre.

He however urged the NNPC Limited to supply independent marketers with products to help ease the shortage across the country.