Fuel scarcity may return as marketers are owed N500b bridging claims
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Fuel scarcity nationwide may return with more gridlock, the current one in Abuja being a warning sign, because marketers are owed over N500 billion bridging claims and only 5 per cent of them now transport petrol.
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) gave the warning and told the public to prepare for fuel chaos far worse than the one experienced in March and April.
Kano IPMAN Chairman Bashir Danmalam said to head off a new fuel palaver, Abuja should prevail on the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to pay IPMAN members their bridging claims.
He disclosed that the failure of NMDPRA to pay bridging claims, otherwise known as transportation claims, has forced many IPMAN members out of business as they could not transport petrol due to the high cost of diesel.
He lamented that non-payment of claims for over eight months has crippled the livelihoods of many IPMAN members as they could not transport petrol even though it is available.
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95% of marketers can’t supply fuel
“NMDPRA is responsible for the payment of bridging claims otherwise known as transportation claims,” Danmalam said, according to reporting by The PUNCH.
“For 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 petroleum products nationwide.
“The resurfacing of fuel queues in Abuja is just a tip of the iceberg with regard to the petroleum scarcity.
“Out of 100 per cent, only five per cent of the marketers can supply petroleum products because of the failure of NMDPRA to pay them.”
IPMAN members suffering
Danmalam said after the merger of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF), and Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPRA) into NMDPRA, the new body has paid them only twice.
He urged the government to intervene before the situation degenerates into a serious fuel crisis and spreads to other parts of the country.
“As leaders, we have to come out to say the truth because our members are suffering from the failure of the agency to pay the fund.
“This Petroleum Equalisation Fund is our own money we contribute to each litre. This agency is doing more harm than good to us.”
Danmalam urged Nigerians not to blame IPMAN members for fuel scarcity but rather blame NMDPRA.
“We are not agitating for a transportation fee increase, we are only clamouring for payment of our bridging claims that are over N500 billion.”
