The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN Enugu Depot has called on members of the public not to panic over the issue of withdrawal of services by its members.
The Chairman of the Association, Mr Chinedu Anyaso made the call while speaking in a telephone interview with THE RAZOR on the development which had caused fear and panic in the area.
According to Mr Anyaso, the memo being circulated in the social media was not meant for members in the Zone but was rather a directive to IPMAN members in the Maiduguri zone of the association.
“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 tat we have our own channel of distributing information and directives, once those messages does not come from those channels they should disregard it. I am also happy that the Maiduguri chairman have also called off the directive”.
Mr Anyaso while calling for calm, said the association had a channel of communicating to its members in the zone which should only b adhered to by members.
He said however despite the situation on ground,the members have not considered shutting down their services in the zone considering the sufferings of the masses at such trying time.
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.
Mr Anyaso noted that his members are willing to dispense at a lower price once the NNPC makes the product available to them at the government approved cost.
He therefore enjoined members of the public in the zone not to panic as there was no plan to cripple the already precarious situation the people found themselves at the moment.
“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 but actually the call for closure of petroleum stations does not have any bearing with Enugu depot unit”
On the allegations and concerns by the people over shortage of meters by petrol stations , Mr Anyaso said the association have always cautioned its members against any sharp practice that would amount to shortchanging the unsuspecting public.
The Enugu depot Chairman 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.
