By Michael Egbejule, Benin City
Edo State Chairman of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Alhaji Baba Saliu, has predicted that, with the importation of over 143 million litres of petrol by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Ltd, fuel scarcity and attendant hike in prices of petroleum products will soon end.
A litre of petrol currently sells for between N350 and N500 in parts of Edo State against official pump price of N190.
Saliu, who spoke with journalists, yesterday, in Benin shortly after a meeting of members of the association, said: “The price will soon be uniform for independent and major marketers. The managing director of NNPC Ltd has assured us that he will give all of us a level-playing ground. Once we are given a level-playing ground, we will be ready to supply and bring down the price.
“I believe that in two weeks, fuel scarcity will be a thing of the past in the country. In another two weeks, petroleum products will be everywhere in the country and the price will crash to the official price of N190 a litre.”
Saliu justified the present price variations, which he blamed on scarcity of the products, lamenting that Nigerians sleep at retail outlets to source for fuel, which they buy at a very high cost.
He called on Edo people to bear with the marketers, adding that IPMAN is ready to partner with the state government to resolve the latest scarcity.
Source: The Guardian
