The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has asked Nigerians to prepare for another round of fuel scarcity after the government stalled the payment of a N500 billion bridging claim.
IPMAN chairman in Kano, Bashir Danmalam, said the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority has not paid the money to fuel markets despite being notified.
Danmalam said the failure of the NMDPRA to pay the bridging claim, also known as transportation claim, had forced many of its members out of business.
He alleged that since the amalgamation of DPR, PEF and PPRA to NMDPRA, the agency had only paid independent marketers twice.
“NMDPRA is responsible for the payment of bridging claims otherwise known as transportation claims,” Danmalam said.
“Failure of the NMDPRA to pay the outstanding claims for about nine months, many marketers cannot transport the product because their funds are not being paid.
“Despite the high price of diesel, they manage to supply the petroleum products nationwide. The resurfacing of fuel queues in Abuja is just a tip of the iceberg with regard to petroleum scarcity.
“Out of 100 percent, only five percent of the marketers can supply the petroleum products because of the failure of NMDPRA to pay them.”
Danmalam called on the Federal government to intervene before the situation degenerates into a mother of all fuel crisis in the country.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had on Monday, explained that low loadouts are one of the reasons behind the recent return of long queues in fillings stations in Abuja.
This is according to a series of tweets on the NNPC handle on Sunday.
“The NNPC Ltd notes the sudden appearance of fuel queues in parts of Abuja. This is very likely due to low loadouts at depots which usually happen during long public holidays, in this case, the Sallah celebrations,” the agency said.
It explained that another reason for the development is the “increased fuel purchases which are also usual with returning residents of the FCT from the public holidays”.
But it called on Nigerians and residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) particularly not to panic over the development.
“We assure all residents of the FCT, and indeed all Nigerians, that we have ample local supplies and national stock in excess of 2.5 billion liters, with a sufficiency of more than 43 days,” it added.
“The NNPC Ltd hereby advises motorists not to engage in panic buying as supplies are adequate as will become increasingly evident in the coming days.”