The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Mosimi Depot, in Ogun State has accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited of trading with its N75.142 billion it deposited for the supply of fuel to its members since June 2024.
Addressing journalists in Abeokuta, Ogun State, the chairman of IPMAN, Mosimi Depot, Mr Femi Adelaja said his members had paid the money to the NNPC for supplies through the Lagos Private Depot Owners (PDO), but the corporation refused to make the product available to its members.
He alleged that the NNPC was using IPMAN’s deposit to service the interest of majority marketers at the detriment of the IPMAN members whose businesses survive only on bank loans.
“They have refused to acknowledge that our businesses have been surviving on bank loans, which would charge interest on whatever amount is released to each IPMAN member,” he said.
He said the NNPCL had of deliberately starved its members of supplies adding that the corporation made the available to Total, OANDO and Ardova, which in turn resell to few if its customers thereby compelling them sell at a higher price to the public.
“We are surprised to see that the NNPC would not give us any supply, rather, the corporation has been busy using our deposits to run business for their various mega stations.
He said the current fuel scarcity in the southwest was due to the refusal of the management of the oil corporation to make petroleum products available to its members three months after payment.
Adelaja therefore appealed to the federal government, as well as other critical stakeholders in the oil industry to prevail on the management of the oil corporation to desist from withholding petroleum products from its members so as to lessen the hardship being experienced by the citizens.
