By Abisola THOMPSON
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), South West chapter, has appealed to Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to sanction any depot owners selling petrol above ex-depot price of N133.28K per litre.
TBI Africa said that Alhaji Debo Ahmed, Chairman, IPMAN Western Zone made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Ahmed said that this became necessary to avert marketers selling petrol above pump price at the filling stations.
He said that the private depot owners were selling between N 137.50k and N 139 per litre against official ex-depot price of N 133.28
According to him, “Government should urgently arrest the situation before it goes out of hand, because they are aware of the hike in price by depot owners.
“It is not possible for marketers to buy petrol above ex-depot price and still sell it at official pump price of N 145 , it will definitely affecting our margin.
“I urged DPR to stand up to their responsibility to sanction any depot owner who increases the price of petrol.
“Government gave the depot owners product and they should explain why they are selling above ex-depot price, ours is to buy and sell at official pricing but if it’s sold to us above official prices, we will also sell above the pump price,’’ he said.
The IPMAN helmsman said that depots within the south-west zone are loading except Ejigbo satellite depot due to some internal challenges.
He said that delayed in product importation after the election also caused ongoing effective distribution of products, adding that “We, independent marketers, are law-abiding.
“We don’t want to sell above the official pump price that is why we are urging the government to do something about it and make the product abundantly available.
“They should monitor private depot owners to make sure they don’t sell above the official ex-depot price of N133.28,’’Ahmed urged government.
Also, the IPMAN Chairman, Ejigbo Satelite depot, Alhaji Ayo Alanamu confirmed to NAN that the depot had not load products for about 15-days now due to distribution challenges confronting the depot.
Alanamu said that some IPMAN members who loaded at private depot in Apapa were paying between N 137.50k and N 139 per litre as against ex-depot price of N 133.28k.
According to him, delayed in importation could also contributes to the hike but we hope that now that Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had assured product in circulation, we will look forward to receive it.
Similarly, daily loading schedule for Lagos depots made available to NAN shows that out of about 50 depots within Lagos only three depots had products yesterday (Monday) and selling above ex-depot price.
Folawiyo depot sold at N140 per litre, MRS, N139, Aiteo and N139.50 kobo on April 8.
However, the Executive Secretary, Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMA), Mr Olufemi Adewole told NAN in a text that “I’m not aware that any DAPPMAN depot is selling above the specified bandwidth for ex-depot price.
“And bear it in mind that less than 50 depots are registered DAPPMAN depots out of the almost 200 depots on DPR database and I cannot speak for such as we’re not aware of how they operate.
“DAPPMAN depots know the rules and they operate within the ambit of such; aside that, the various regulatory bodies are physically present in our depots to monitor and ensure compliance hence there is no room for any mischief.
“Any depot discovered to be flouting the rule should be penalised as appropriate,’’ Adewole said.
NAN recalls that on April 4, NNPC has advised motorists and other petroleum products consumers not to engage in panic buying, saying there is enough petroleum products stock in 55 depots across the country.
The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of NNPC Mr Ndu Ughamadu had stated that 23 depots in Lagos, seven in Port Harcourt, 11 in Warri, six in Calabar and eight in Kaduna were fully stocked with white products.
He explained that two vessels of 50million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol would arrive the shores of Nigeria every day from tomorrow (last week Friday).
Ndu assured Nigerians of an eventful Easter period just as the just ended Yuletide, even as it cautioned depot owners or terminal operators not to sell petrol above the official ex-depot price of N133.28k per litre.
The corporation also advised petroleum products marketers not to sell the product above N145 per litre, adding that the subsisting ex-depot petrol price of N133.28k per litre was consistent with the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency’s (PPPRA) template and should be adhered to.
He advised Nigerians to remain vigilant and volunteer information to the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), the Industry regulator or to any law enforcement agency around them, on any station which sells petrol beyond N145 per litre.
