Dr. Ibe Kachukwu: Minister of State, Petroleum Resources

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN),says the bane of the recurring fuel scarcity in Nigeria was the backlog of unpaid transport claims and importation.

The Sokoto State Chapter Chairman of the Association, Alhaji Sule Magaji, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria( NAN)in Sokoto on Sunday.

” Most of the marketers, including those in Sokoto State, were being owed between N10 million and N100 million for between six months to one year.

”We are however happy with the recent approval by President Muhammadu Buhari for the payment of over N150 billion of such outstanding claims,” Magaji, added.

Magaji called for the speedy release of the approved funds, while urging that the process should be equal and transparent.

According to him, the non payment of the outstanding claims has made most of the marketers to purchase the commodity.

” The high cost of diesel is also another cog in the wheel of our business, hence, making it difficult to bridge the petrol from Lagos to Sokoto, as well as other parts of the north.

” Before, the transport cost of a 33,000 litre-tanker from Lagos to Sokoto was between N420,000 and N460,000.

” Unfortunately, it has now gone up to between N 550,000 and N 600,000 and it is taking its heavy toll on us.”

Magaji further called on the Federal Government to sustain its efforts to revamp the nation’s refineries, to stop the heavy dependence on importation of petroleum products.

” If this is urgently done, they will function effectively and all the depots across Nigeria will also become functional.

” This will make the petroleum products readily available across the country as well as reduce the high demand for dollars,” Magaji added.

(NAN)