By Solomon Asowata
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has directed its members to compile an inventory of customers’ cars affected by the recent dispensing of substandard Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in their retail outlets.
IPMAN’s National President, Mr Chinedu Okoronkwo, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.NAN reports that the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) had confirmed that four cargos of PMS imported into the country were discovered to contain methanol above the specified volume.
The authority had thereafter withdraw the affected product from the market and set up technical and commercial teams to address the challenges posed by the development.Okoronkwo noted that some IPMAN members had received complaints from their customers regarding dispensing of the substandard petrol into their vehicles.“In our Central Working Committee meeting yesterday, we agreed that members should take inventories of customers’ vehicles affected by the adulterated fuel.“The list will be sent to the government because there is need to compensate those vehicle owners affected by the situation.“’
We will be scrutinising all claims to ensure that some unscrupulous persons don’t take advantage of the situation. “The marketers have their sales records and all claims will be thoroughly investigated just like we have in insurance,” he said. According to him, the purpose of the inventory is to know the extent of damage and how the owner of the vehicle will be compensated. On the fuel situation, Okoronkwo said the scarcity would soon end based on the assurances of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd and the NMDPRA.He noted that the withdrawal of the affected products disrupted the supply chain which led to panic buying by Nigerians, particularly in Lagos and Abuja.
Meanwhile, a NAN correspondent who monitored the fuel situation at Oshodi, Igando, Ikeja and Abule Egba areas of Lagos State on Thursday observed that many filling stations were still not selling petrol.Long queues were seen at the few stations selling with both private and commercial motorists complaining about the situation. A commercial bus driver who gave his name as Akin, said he spent over an hour before he could fill up his vehicle on Wednesday night. “This thing is becoming frustrating for us as drivers because we cannot increase our fares despite the stress and time it takes for us to buy fuel. “
The government needs to look into the situation, he added. Another motorist, Mr Jones Awe, said he had not taken his vehicle to work this week because of the fuel situation. “I work on the Island and I normally use my vehicle but I have not been able to get fuel so I am using commercial transport for now until the issue is resolved,” he said.
NAN reports that the NMDPRA had assured Nigerians that there was no need for panic buying because the country had 20 days sufficiency of PMS. Mr Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive, NMDPRA, who gave the assurance after inspecting some depots in Apapa and Ijegun-Egba, Lagos State on Wednesday, had said loading activities were going on seamlessly. He had expressed optimism that the market would soon be wet with petroleum products which would restore normalcy across the country. (NAN)
