CEM REPORT | Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) have denied receiving N74 billion as bridging claims for the transportation of petroleum products from the Federal Government.
The oil marketers further called on the Federal Government to reveal the names of the marketers as well as provide documents to prove the payment.
This is according to the Secretary, Abuja-Suleja IPMAN, Mohammed Shuaibu, in an interview.
While disputing the claims of the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) on the payments of bridging claims, he added that Nigerians should brace themselves for the mother of all queues from next week, if the Federal Government refuses to pay the 12 months bridging claims being owed operators in the downstream oil sector.
“He (Ahmed) alleged he has paid marketers N74bn right? We have accused him of sabotaging our efforts by not paying us our bridging claims and that is the fact.
“Since he claims to have paid, we are not arguing but we challenge him to come out and name the marketers that he paid. Let him explain from A to Z. Let him bring out the documents. If you say you have paid our members N74bn, and we say we’ve not been paid, then come out and explain to the public.
“Anyway, by the time we down-tool fully within the next one week, he will explain to the public and the presidency how the situation got to that level, because this one is going to lead to the mother of all queues.”
He further explained that:
“You are owing a marketer, for example, N30m or N20m, you paid him N150,000 or N200,000 and you now go on air to say you have paid the marketer. Is there any justification to that effect?”
He further said the Federal Government owed marketers more than it claims stating that the amount owed was way beyond N15 billion.
He added that many of its members were shutting down operations due to their inability to continue in business, stating that other depots are willing to join in the strike.
“By the time we down-tool, it will be massive because the nine depots in the North and other marketers are now itching to come out with their own claims. They are ready to join in solidarity and may be by that time the government will know if we are joking or not.’’
IPMAN controls about 70% of the filling stations across the country.
The Abuja-Suleja, unit covers Abuja, Kogi, Niger and parts of Nasarawa and Kaduna.
Recall that CEM reported that the NMDPRA, Chief Executive, Farouk Ahmed said the Federal Government had paid the sum of N74 billion as bridging claims to oil marketers for the transportation of petroleum products across the country.
The statement was in reaction to the allegations made by IPMAN, Suleja Branch, that the scarcity of petroleum products
