Independent petroleum marketers in Nigeria, for the first time since the current crisis in the sector started, spoke Thursday blaming the problem on exorbitant cost of purchasing petrol at privately-owned depots for their inability to sell at government-approved price of N162-N165 per litre.
This was coming as the Federal Government continues in its efforts to resolve the energy crisis facing the country, started just at the time some importing marketers brought adulterated fuel into the country and which damaged many vehicles of Nigerians and, involvement of privately owned depots owners escalating government’s effort to stop supply for the bad fuel to be cleaned up, has gotten worse.
The independent marketers’ claim came a day after President Muhammadu Buhari apologised for the on-going petrol shortage across the country and poor power supply from the national grid.
Queues at filling stations in and around Abuja remained lengthy when Vanguard visited some outlets at the city centre and Karu area, yesterday.
Speaking to Vanguard in a telephone interview, the Public Relations Officer of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Chinedu Ukadike, said most independent marketers have had to source their products from the private depots, which sold far above government approved ex-depot price of N143 per litre.
