IPMAN Blames Hike In Private Depots For Increase In Pump Price
The Independent Petroleum Marketers of Nigeria (IPMAN) has blamed the slight increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) on hike in ex private depot prices.
Mr Chinedu Anyaso, Chairman of IPMAN, Enugu Depot in charge of Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu States said this in an interview with journalists in Awka.
Anyaso was reacting to the increase of pump price from N165 to between N168 and N175 per litre in most independent marketers’ outlets in the area.
Petrol which was sold for between N162 and N165 had risen by above N10 per litre at independent marketers outlets.
He said his members were operating from a disadvantage position as Private Depot Owners who sold N165 at their retail outlets increased prices for his members where they sourced products from Warri and Calabar.
According to him, the price of petrol at the private Depots where our members source products is not the same for everybody, it has become impossible for us to sell at N165 per litre.
“At the moment, we buy N156 per liter, pay N1:00 loading cost and N6 transportation, that means our landing cost is N163.
“Our appeal is that NNPC should allow us to buy from them, or enforce private depots to sell the former price of N147,17, this will enable our people in the Southeast to enjoy the normal price of N165,” he said.
Anyaso said some government agencies were already harassing his members and threatening to shut them down.
He wondered why his members would be harrassed instead of controlling cost at the depots.
He said, “the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) is harassing our members for selling above N165 which is right instead of controlling prices at Private Depots where we buy products.
“The problem is at the Private depots, they should find out what is going wrong there and correct it because we may have to take extra measure to stop extortion of our members in the name of price compliance if our discussion fail,” he said
Reacting, Mr Stanley Ngene, Operations Controller of NMDPRA in Enugu, said there was no price increase in Enugu.
Ngene said marketers were selling at N165 per litre and that those selling above would be penalised.
