The Delta chapter of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), has urged the Federal government to reduce the price of Automated Gasoline Oil (AGO) and kerosene inline with current realities.
The state IPMAN chairman Mr Zino Onaemor made the appeal while speaking with newsmen on Thursday in Warri.
Onaemor said that the reduction in price of diesel and kerosene would cushion the hardship being faced by Nigerians due to the current lockdown.
He faulted the Petroluem Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) for arbitrary fixing petrol price without involving all the relevant stakeholders.
“The way and manner PPPRA increase and reduce petroleum products is not too good for the marketers. It need to involve all the stakeholders for discussion on the price.
“We are surprised that PPPRA has been reducing the price of petrol and nothing has been done to the price of diesel and kerosene which still sell for about N175 per litre respectively,” he said.
The IPMAN chairman also appeal to the Group Managing Director (GMD), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr Mele Kyari to reopen the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) for operations.
According to him, the WRPC has not be operational for about 18 months following alleged labour issues with it’s casual workers which has long been resolved.
He said that several vessels carrying petroleum products were waiting on the sea shores of Nigeria due to the rampaging COVID-19.
“We want to appeal to the GMD of NNPC that with the situation on ground today, he should give instruction for the WRPC to reopen for operations. There is nothing wrong with the refinery, this is time of global crisis, nobody buy crude oil now at the international market, so we should start refining.”
“Before now, when the refineries were working, they used to compliment the station owners with diesel and kerosene so that they can manage their staff and expenses. But today it is not so, the refineries are not working,” he said.
Onaemor appealed to Delta Government to review the time frame for the petroleum marketers to dispense fuel to customers before the end of the lockdown in the state.
“The 8:00 a.m to noon prescribed by the state government is not enough considering the fact that fuel marketers are providing essential services to the public.”
“We agreed on the lockdown because of the pandemic but at least filling stations should work till 6:00 p.m. We have been going round filling stations to ensure that no marketer sells above pump price of N125 per litre,” he said.
SOURCE: oglinks.news