… Promises to tackle sellers of adulterated fuel
By: Felix Ikpotor
Following the resurgence of long queues in fuel stations in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and its environs due to the shortage in supply, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, has charged motorists and other users to avoid panic buying as the products would soon be available for all.
Chairman of IPMAN in the state, Tekena Ikpaki who gave the advice while chatting with newsmen in Port Harcourt said the situation would soon normalise stressing that the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, was doing everything to make sure the product is available for users.
“I want to say that the fuel situation in the state is a controllable one and it is still normal. Scarcity at one time or the other is a normal thing experienced in any system, but the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, is doing their best to making sure that products is available to the users at every given point in time. As we speak, there is a vessel at the bulk strategic facility discharging products, so between now and tomorrow (Tuesday & Wednesday) the discharge would be complete and they will start distribution almost immediately,” he stated.
Ikpaki assured that when the NNPCL starts distributing, price of the products would reduce.
“So I will advice buyers to buy in whatever volume they can buy and not in panic, because in no distant time, the product would be available again and the price will definitely be normal. It’s just about demand and supply that’s affecting the price because the moment there is slight scarcity people start panicking and start buying and people tend to take advantage of the public not because it’s official but when the product is available, everybody would want to stay within the arm bits and making sure that they give to the public what they are supposed to give them and the required volume at the given price,” Ikpaki said.
The IPMAN Chairman further assured that the Port Harcourt Refinery would soon come on stream to cushion the fuel scarcity being experienced.
“Port Harcourt Refinery is going to come on stream and it’s not a probability. By the grace of God, everything is in top gear towards making sure that the refinery starts again, unforeseen factors has led to the delay of it coming on stream but we are optimistic that in no distant time, the refinery will start dispensing again because as at the last count, more raw materials was received so if all these are in place, that’s to say preparation are in top gear towards making sure that it comes up live soon,” he assured.
Reacting to the reports that several fuel stations in the town were selling adulterated products, the IPMAN boss promised to tackle situation while urging motorist that have been victims of the sharp practice to immediately report to the appropriate quarters for action.
“Going by the reports from motorist that they have been getting contaminated fuel from the filling stations in town, I’m not saying it is out of place, it is possible but how such fuel infiltrated into the town is what no one can place right now.
“But since the report has come to us, we’ll see the best we can do to curbing such excesses in the system because it is not at all, in the interest of IPMAN to seeing that filling stations registered under the body would sell adulterated products to the public and we want to encourage anyone that’s a victim of such adulterated fuel to make sure they report immediately to the appropriate quarters so that we can also swing into action and reduce such menace,” Ikpaki concluded.
