By Praise Chinecherem
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Enugu Depot has allayed fears of the general public over alleged withdrawal of services by its members in the Southeast.
Chairman of the Association, Mr Chinedu Anyaso made the call while reacting to the development which had sparked fear and panic in the area.
He explained that the memo being circulated in the social media was not meant for IPMAN members in the Zone but a directive to those in the Maiduguri zone.
He said, “That directive was meant for marketers within the Maiduguri depot and not for the entire country. A lot of calls have been coming to confirm even from my members, and I told them that we have our own channel of distributing information and directives.
“Once those messages do not come from those channels they should disregard it. I am also happy that the Maiduguri chairman have also called off the directive”.
According to Anyaso, the association had a channel of communicating to its members in the zone which should only be adhered to by members.
“Despite the situation on ground, our members have not considered shutting down their services in the zone considering the sufferings of the masses at the present trying times,” he said.
The IPMAN boss however noted that it was not fair for the NNPC and the State Security Services to threaten to regulate prices of petrol at the moment when members were still sourcing the product from different tank farm owners who sell at exorbitant rates to them.
Expressing members willingness to dispense at a lower price once the product was made available to them at the government approved cost, Anyaso urged members of the public in the zone not to panic as there was no plan to cripple the already precarious situation.
“This whole thing is about distribution channel, You know NNPC and DSS are saying that they are going to enforce 195 per liter when they have not even given us the product.
“How can you enforce what you have not given to the Marketers? So that is the real situation. Actually, the call for closure of petroleum stations does not have any bearing with Enugu depot unit,” he added.
On the alleged shortage of meters by petrol stations, Anyaso said the association have always cautioned its members against any sharp practices that would amount to shortchanging the unsuspecting public.
He advised IPMAN members to always check to confirm their meters before dispensing in the morning and before closure as the machines could sometimes malfunction without the operators being aware.
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Enugu Depot is covering, Enugu, Anambra, part of Ebonyi, Abia, Imo, Kogi, Cross River and Abia States.
