How to end fuel scarcity; marketers tell Nigerian government

Oil marketers have said that the scarcity of petroleum products being witnessed in various parts of Nigeria would end if the government decentralises the distribution of the product.

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, on Sunday urged the Nigerian Government to decentralise loading of petroleum products to make for effective loading at depots across the country.

The National President of IPMAN, Lawson Obasi, said in Port Harcourt that spreading of petroleum products to other coastal depots across the country would end the current scarcity.

He said a situation where government only distributed petroleum products to tank farms in Lagos was partly responsible for current scarcity and high cost of product.

“The current government approach, where marketers across the country are expected to load petroleum products from only depots in Lagos state, is counter-productive.”

“To solve current scarcity of fuel; government must decongest Lagos by sending petroleum products to coastal depots in Port Harcourt, Calabar and Warri.”

“By decentralising supply and distribution from Lagos to other depots; it would become easier for IPMAN members to lift products and distribute to filling stations,” he said. Mr. Obasi said the current policy by government should be revised to enable marketers have unlimited access to petroleum products for distribution to final consumers.

He denied marketers hoarded products to deepen current scarcity to make more profit from sales.

According to him, the Pipelines Products Marketing Company should, as a matter of urgency, commence distribution of products to other depots in the South-South to end current fuel scarcity.