The National Chairman, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Chief Lawson Obasi, says government should be held responsible for the current fuel scarcity and high cost because it only distributes petroleum products to tank farms in Lagos.
Speaking with journalist in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, Obasi called on the Federal Government to decentralise the loading of petroleum products from Lagos as that would end the current scarcity of the product being experienced across the country.
According to Obasi, “The current government approach, where marketers across the country are expected to load petroleum products from only depots in Lagos state, is counter-productive.
“To solve current scarcity of fuel; government must decongest Lagos by sending petroleum products to coastal depots in Port Harcourt, Calabar and Warri.
“By decentralising supply and distribution from Lagos to other depots, it would become easier for IPMAN members to lift products and distribute to filling stations,” he said.
He further stated that reversing the current policy by government would enable marketers have unlimited access to petroleum products for distribution to final consumers.
Obasi however debunked the allegation that marketers where hoarding the products so as to make more profit from sales.
He noted that the for the current fuel scarcity to end, the Pipelines Products Marketing Company, PPMC, should commence immediate distribution of the products to other depots in the South-South part of the country.
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