The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has stated that the present hike and scarcity of the petroleum products in Nigeria cannot end by just making products available to marketers.
The Chairman of IPMAN, Enugu Depot, Mr Chinedu Anyaso, who stated this in a press briefing on the constitution of a 14-member steering committee by President Muhammadu Buhari to end the present hike of the product, described the supply of products as only a short-term measure towards ending hike and scarcity of the petroleum products in Nigeria.
According to Anyaso, if the NNPC continues selling the products to independent tank farm owners, there was no way the price would come down since they will add money before selling to independent marketers.
The IPMAN boss said though the federal government may have done its studies before coming up with the steering committee, it was out of place not to have involved stakeholders like the independent and major marketers in the committee.
He said the major challenge and cause of the present hike in price and scarcity is as a result of shortage of the commodity which setting upcoming committee may not solve immediately.
Mr Anyaso noted that if government would flood the country with petroleum products, the queues and price will automatically crash down.
The IPMAN boss therefore called on the federal government to come out openly and explain to Nigerians their major challenges rather than setting up different committees that may not proffer immediate solution to the problem at hand.
The Enugu Depot chairman also called on the government to ensure that all the local refineries are working while the public await the refinery built by a private individual to come on board.
