Fuel Scarcity: Buhari Should Not be Blamed - Marketers Accepts Blame

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has exonerated the federal government of any blames associated with the current lingering fuel shortages across the country, clarifying that Nigerians should rather blame the prolonged leadership crisis that had rocked the association as the cause of the crises, according to ThisDay.

The association also said the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, should not be held responsible for petrol scarcity as their nearly two years of fighting over leadership positions in the association had contributed maximally in the current petroleum product scarcity.

According to the Interim Management Secretary of IPMAN, Mr. Lawson Ngoa, the rivalry between two IPMAN national factions has crippled the importation and distribution of petroleum products in Nigeria especially by independent marketers who control about 80 per cent of the fuel distribution network.

Ngoa explained in Abuja that Kachikwu had only intervened to end the crisis in his resolve to end the current fuel scarcity and could not be blamed for it.

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He noted Kachikwu in trying to reconcile the factions and revive sanity in their operations, inaugurated IPMAN reconciliation and interim management committee to resolve the crisis and how it contributes to scarcity of petroleum products.

While shielding Kachikwu from the blame, Ngoa stated in a statement that the minister is completely innocent of the petroleum products scarcity as he inherited a crises ridden petroleum sector.

He further stated that IPMAN accepts all responsibility for the difficulties suffered by Nigerians while agreeing that IPMAN is now ready to commence distribution of products following the reconciliation brokered by Kachikwu.

“With the increase in percentage of product to IPMAN and other incentives made available by the federal government through the minister of petroleum, the fuel scarcity will end in weeks,” said Ngoa.

He urged all Nigerians to support the federal government and the minister of petroleum to end the scarcity.

Also speaking on the fuel scarcity, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) Downstream of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Henry Ikem Obih, has said that it would take the cooperation of all stakeholders in the country’s downstream petroleum sector to clear out the lingering queues for fuel at filling stations in the country.