‘We are not responsible for fuel scarcity’ – Petrol marketers

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association Nigeria (IPMAN) has denied being responsible for the lingering fuel scarcity around the country.

According to a statement signed by the National Operations Controller and immediate past National Secretary of IPMAN, Mike Osatuyi, the false accusation which led to the misinformation emanated from one Lawson Ngoa, who claims to be the interim management secretary of IPMAN.

Osatuyi stated that the Ngoa is not a member of IPMAN but an official of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, who was sent to help resolve internal crisis in the union.

While decrying the present administration’s effort to blackmail IPMAN, Osatuyi warned the public to wary of Ngoa who is using the union’s name as a cover to defend a failure of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

“It is pure defamation of IPMAN’s name to go on air that IPMAN has accepted the responsibility for the scarcity of petroleum products and that Nigerians should hold IPMAN responsible for the scarcity. Crisis in IPMAN with government’s intervention is not new.”

“Previous government agencies have intervened in IPMAN crisis without blackmail from the agencies concerned right from the time of Alhaji Jarfau Paki, the then Special Assistant to President Olusegun Obasanjo on Petroleum Matters, Dr. Oluwole Oluleye, the former Executive Secretary of Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), had intervened in IPMAN matters without blackmailing the Association.”

“Some former Managing Directors of Products and Pipeline Marketing Company (PPMC) had also intervened in IPMAN matters without destroying IPMAN’s name. IPMAN controls over 80 per cent of the retail outlets in the country and IPMAN has partnered with previous governments to solve previous fuel crisis without damaging the association name.”

“It is also on record that no member of IPMAN has voiced out against peace since this government stepped in to resolve its crisis few days ago. That is evidence that IPMAN and all members want peace and are ready to embrace peace for seamless operation of the association’s administration and by extension the Nigerian oil industry.”

“IPMAN doesn’t want any government agents, representatives, coordinators that will add more wound to the association’s injury or destroy the association’s name that was established over 35 years ago. IPMAN members nationwide have invested trillions of Naira in the Nigerian downstream oil sector.”

“Lawson is not aware or knowledgeable of the gravity of his statement to IPMAN and Nigerians who are suffering for weeks for somebody’s system and planning failure. It is unfair statement and he has to apologize to IPMAN and Nigerians for deceiving the populace.”

“Lawson should tell the public if IPMAN issues import permit, allocate foreign exchange (forex) for import, or involved in import planning of NNPC and import allocation formula, among others? He has no authority or mandate to use IPMAN’s name to shield any of the government agencies for any operational or administrative mismanagement. IPMAN is ready to work with the government in ensuring products availability.”