The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has urged the Federal Government to dedicate at least a depot solely to independent marketers, adding that such will ensure easy distribution of fuel in the country.
The Chairman, IPMAN, NNPC Depot, Ore Western Zone of Nigeria, Engineer Shina Amoo, in an interview with New Telegraph over the weekend, said that independent marketers were finding it very difficult to buy fuel at private depots.
He alleged that they were meant to buy fuel at the ex-depot price of the same amount the depot owners sell at their fuel stations.
He said that they now buy fuel at an ex-depot price of N615, excluding logistics and operational costs while depot owners sell at N600 per litre in their filling stations.
According to him, this development has made the independent marketers dispense fuel at a higher pump price than that of the depot owners.
He decried that this had greatly reduced their patronage as customers would prefer to buy fuel at stations with cheaper rates.
He further alleged that IPMAN members now found it extremely difficult to purchase fuel from NNPCL depots.
He lamented that the above challenges were forcing them out of business and making distribution of fuel difficult across the country, especially in remote areas.
He claimed that IPMAN members had great networks, even in the nooks and crannies of Nigeria.
Amoo said: “We are not faring well in the industry now. We are not getting the supply and if we even get it, the price the depot owners are selling to us is the same price they are selling in their stations whereas we are competing with them. We will be selling N620 per litre and they will be selling to us at the depot N615 and they are selling N600 in their stations.
“They are selling the price they are selling to us at the depots at the same in their stations whereas we will still incur transport costs and other logistics. When we reach our station, we will be landing between N615 and N620 and we will be selling in our stations for N620. I can say we are not working for now.
“Virtually all depots except NNPCL, But what NNPCL does is they ratio the product within themselves and they know who is who. They do not deal directly with the marketers. IPMAN is not in this arrangement they do. IPMAn is not recognised. IPMAN is not observed. That is the situation for now.
“The private depot owners are the ones supplying us. They sell to us at the same price they sell in their stations.”
He added: “The issue is NNPCL should try as much as possible to open a depot for IPMAN where we can always make payments and get out products loaded at the price that is reasonable, otherwise, the masses will continue to suffer where there are no major marketers within.
“The depot can serve anywhere. Also if they can give us a depot that can service the western zone?
“We are not getting fuel from the depots that we are supposed to get it from. NNPCL is not giving us our volume separately. We are just buying from any available depot. In those days, NNPCL always made a particular depot available so that we could get our products from them. But now it is not like that. We are just buying upon and down.
“This has not hampered our operations. In fact, we are not in business at all. As I talk to you, in Ibadan, I am selling between N615 and N620, Some major marketers are selling N600, and NNPCL is selling N590. How can I sell N615 and N620 and customers will see where they are selling N600 or less and patronise me who sell at N620?”
SOURCE: legit.ng