The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN has constituted a task force against petroleum scarcity in the country.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that queues have resurfaced at many filling stations across the country, while many others had closed down their activities, causing panic buying.
However, in a statement issued to journalists on Monday, the chairman of IPMAN, Kano zone, Bashir Dan-Mallam, said the association has formed the committee, in collaboration with Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, to check hoarding of the commodity at filling stations.
According to Mr Dan-Mallam, any marketer found culpable of hoarding the product would be dealt with, emphasizing that IPMAN would not allow some unscrupulous elements within its fold to inflict hardship on innocent Nigerians.
He disclosed that 210 tankers of petroleum have been loaded with the product for distribution nationwide today.
The chairman, therefore called on the citizens not to panic as the product being supplied would be more than enough for their consumption.
He assured the people that the problem would not last long as IPMAN, in collaboration with NNPC, is on top of the situation to ensure the availability of the product.
“I urge people not to panic. That panicking is what causes long queues at filling stations because people have the impression that the petroleum would be scarced, that is why you see somebody with five cars and jerry cans come to filling to buy fuel. This is what causes congestion.
“Let me call on Nigerians to be rest assured that IPMAN, in collaboration with NNPC and other stakeholders are on top of the situation and be rest assured that this problem will not last long,” he said in the statement.
However, Mr Dan-Mallam assured Nigerians that there was no plan to increase the price of fuel in the country.
According to him, IPMAN had contacted all stakeholders in the petroleum sector and they assured that there was no plan to increase the price of fuel at the moment.
