Why Fuel Scarcity Resurfaces In Osun, Other States – IPMAN Chairman

 

Kazeem Badmus

THE Chairman, Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Ibadan Depot, Alhaji Mutiu Bukola, has attributed the fresh scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly called Petrol to the short fall of supply from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). 

Bukola also disclosed that the five fuel depots situated in the South -West are not functioning, adding that members of the association have to buy PMS from private depots with an exorbitant price. 

He made this known while featuring on Rave FM’s ‘Frank Talk’ program in Osogbo, on Tuesday.

According to the IPMAN chairman, members of the association were buying the commodity at the rate of N167 per liter from the depot without cost of transportation. 

He added that the cost of transporting petroleum products to Osogbo and its environs was between N18-N20 per litre, saying the product cannot be sold at the rate of N165 considering the landing cost.  

Bukola said: “The scarcity of fuel is due to the short fall of supply from the NNPC and we are not getting it as and when due. We have been going from one private depot to the other before we can get a truck loaded and they are increasing the cost day-by-day. Right now, our members are buying at N167 per liter from the depot without transport.

“If you add another N18-N20 transport cost to it, the landing cost to Osogbo and its environs will be around N180-N187 per liter. On the other side, to run a station, you have to have a standby generator, whether Petrol or Diesel engine. Mostly, we use diesel engine and this morning, there is no station that will sell diesel below N850 per liter. The problem is coming from left and right and we are just managing them.

“We have five depots within the South-West (Oyo, Ogun, Lagos, Ondo, Kwara) and as I am talking this morning, there is no single one that is working out of the five. When those depots are working, we had some money paid to load fuel and till now, we have not gotten our products. Our members are dying everyday.

“Since January, 2022, Ibadan depot has been under lock and seal. No fuel there. There is a problem with the pipeline that brought fuel from Lagos to Ibadan depot to service all other areas. In lieu of that, they could not pump us and the product that supposed to serve Ibadan depot will be diverted to private depots. Because of that, we will go and buy at a high price”.

Mutiu said the monopoly of NNPC on the importation of fuel and regulation of the pump price of petrol is a cause for concern, adding that the association has about a billion-naira worth of fuel which the NNPC has not supplied. 

The chairman urged government at all level to assist the association out, saying: “We want to use this avenue to call on the federal and state government to bail us out. Osun government had done it in the past and we still want them to do it now. 

“If NNPC Ibadan is working and we have product there, we have no right to tell the masses that we want to sell above the regulated price. If NNPC depots are not working, this problem will continue and the masses will be suffering from what they suppose not to suffer for”.