The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN has constituted a taskforce committee against the acute petroleum scarcity in the country.
The association noted that queues had resurfaced at many filling stations across the country, while many others had closed down their activities, causing panic among people in the country.
However, in a statement issued to newsmen, the Chairman of IPMAN, Kano zone, Bashir Ahmad Dan-Mallam, said the association had formed the committee, in collaboration with Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, to check hoarding of the commodity at filling stations.
According to Dan-Mallam, any marketer found culpable of hoarding the product would be dealt with, emphasizing that IPMAN would not allow some unscrupulous elements inflict hardship on innocent Nigerians.
He disclosed that 210 tankers of petroleum had been loaded with the product for distribution nationwide .
The chairman, therefore called on the citizens not to panic as the product being supplied would be more than enough for their consumption.
He assured the people that the problem would not last long as IPMAN, in collaboration with NNPC, was on top of the situation to ensure the availability of the product.
“I urge people not to panic. That panicking is what causes long queues at filling stations because people have the impression that the petroleum would be scarce, that is why you see somebody with five cars and jeryycans come to buy fuel.
“Let me call on Nigerians to be rest assured that IPMAN, in collaboration with NNPC and other stakeholders are on top of the situation and be rest assured that this problem will not last long,” he said in the statement.
However, Dan-Mallam assured Nigerians that there was no plan to increase the price of fuel in the country.
According to him, IPMAN had contacted all stakeholders in the petroleum sector and they assured that there was no plan TO increase price of fuel at the moment.
Abdullahi jalaluddeen/Kano