NNPC begins direct delivery to marketers’ retail outlets

As part of efforts to bridge the huge supply gap occasioned by the current fuel scarcity, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has commenced direct delivery of petrol to Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) retail outlets across the country.

The latest intervention by the state oil company – NNPC was disclosed by the National Operation Controller of IPMAN, Mr. Mike Osatuyi, during an inspection tour of some IPMAN retail outlets yesterday.

Osatuyi, while lauding the initiative of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, for bringing relief to Nigerians during the yuletide, urged him to sustain the tempo, so that products can be made available to consumers across the country.

Under the latest move, NNPC will provide petrol to registered and certified members of IPMAN, deliver the products at their respective retail station, and ensure that, IPMAN monitors that the products are sold at the approved price of N87 per liter.

The current arrangement according to him, has saved IPMAN members the hassles of going to depot to queue for products because NNPC has already taken off the burden of sourcing for products and transporting to the retail stations.

And to further ease the scarcity tension, Osatuyi said the management of NNPC under the current direct delivery arrangement has approved a credit scheme, where IPMAN members are given credit lifeline to make payments for products supplied to their retail station three weeks after delivery.

The IPMAN operation controller maintained that, under no circumstance will any IPMAN member sell above the approved price because a monitoring team has been set to move round the outlets in order to ensure compliance and avoid diversion.

‘‘I can confirm to you that, massive loading is going on at all depots. As at today (yesterday), Capital oil has been able to load about 300 trucks, ditto for NIPCO, Folawiyo and others are doing the same. With this level of product truck out, the country will soon be wet with petroleum products,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, the IPMAN boss has called on the Federal Government to deregulate the downstream sector, saying there was no better time than now to do so.

He lamented that the country cannot afford to continue witnessing this hardship year in year out, admitting that, this remained an embarrassing situation for the country.

He called on government to be courageous and remove subsidy on petrol.