Marketers’ bickering stalls N1.3bn fuel lifting

• Group demands recognision for 500 tickets at Capital Oil

The backbiting among some marketers of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in Nigeria has stalled N1.3 billion fuel lifting in Apapa, New Telegraph has learnt. The stalled product, which is about 500 tickets of 33,000 litres each of petol, belong to members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association (IPMAN). The tickets, which are for lifting of products imported by NNPC at the capital oil depot in Apapa by members of the Chief Chinedu Okoronkwo-led faction, are stalled. The affected marketers have also demanded immediate honouring of their tickets. Chief Chinedu Okoronkwoled executive committee of the association had engaged in serious bickering with Chief Obasi Lawson, another factional leader of the group “In fact, Okoronkwo has once said that he expelled Obasi for allegedly engaging in acts that violated the association’s constitution. But to his surprise and to the surprise of members of his faction, the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan recognised the Obasi faction.

Despite the recognision, the Okoronkwo group has been overwhelmingly recognised by the group in the Southwest,” the source said. “The issue on ground now is that 700 tickets belonging to members of Okoronkwo faction were taken to Capital Oil and, up till now, none of them has been loaded. Out of this, 200 tickets that have not gulped so much money were withdrawn for onward transfer to six other depots that have Bulk Purchase Agreement (BPA) license. But these 500 tickets are still there unattended to.

“We held a meeting over this on Friday (last Friday) but up till this moment, nothing concrete has been done on it. The value of one ticket is N2.6 million and 500 tickets are lying unattended to,” the source added. Meanwhile, treasurer, IPMAN, Dibu Aderibigbe, has denied allegation by NNPC that members of IPMAN were involved in product diversion. The Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of the NNPC, had announced that it had revoked the licences of three marketers allegedly involved in products’ diversion. The PPMC said that product diversion by independent marketers had contributed to the scarcity being experienced in many cities across the country.

NNPC also warned that henceforth, dealers found to be guilty would have their Bulk Purchase Agreement revoked. Aderibigbe said that the independent marketers must not be blamed for the current fuel scarcity, stressing that up till Tuesday, July 21, 2015, government had yet to pay their subsidy claims despite efforts put in by IPMAN to ensure smooth distribution of petroleum products across the country. He dared the NNPC to sanction any marketer found wanting, but expressed confidence that no member of the association would be found to be involved in product diversion.