Petroleum Marketers under the aegis of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, PETROAN, have cried out to the Nigerian authorities to save them and their families from hunger.
This is in view of the recent plans by Dangote Refinery to begin distribution of PMS and Diesel across the country with 4000 newly acquired compressed Natural Gas, CNG trucks.
The president of the Association Billy Gillis-Harry made the Save our Soul call to the federal government while speaking on Channel Television programme, Morning Show.
The magazine reported that Dangote Refinery had on Sunday announced its plan to venture into petroleum distribution with the new acquired trucks. Apart from offering to distribute diesel and petrol free of charge to marketers, the $20 billion Refinery also promised retail outlets other mouth-watering incentives including credit purchase once they have guarantee from any Nigerian commercial bank .
The move by Dangote has received mixed reactions from the stakeholders in the energy sector of the nation’s economy.
Reacting to Dangote’s plan to embark on fuel distribution, PETROAN President Gillis-Harry said they will be thrown out of business, with their family facing the threat of hunger
According to Gillis-Harry, the behemoth Dangote should not be allowed to swallowed up small players in the sector, saying this is not good for the country.
He called on the federal government and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, the regulator in the sector to come into the aid of the marketers before their businesses, now at the mercy of Dangote are destroyed.
He accused Dangfote of trying to destroy the harmony in the sector by trampling on the rules, he urged the authority to intervene by ensuring that Dangote is stopped from trampling on the rules.
For instance, he said it’s against the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA rule for Dangote to be involved in Refining and distribution at the same time, noting that their businesses and family will suffer if Dangote is allowed to go ahead with the plan.
The PETROAN President: “If one company that is as massive as our brother’s (Aliko Dangote) can do all of this, of course, it is going to take us out of business.
“There are rules for that and I don’t think one company should take the responsibility to interpret and operationalise what the regulators should do. We need the regulators to interpret very efficiently.
“Right now, we are struggling to feed family and get things going and suddenly we are going to be out of business from August. It is going to take us transporters, many retail outlets owners and marketers out of business and that will affect all the jobs that have been created by these operators in this sub-sector.”
He said Dangote should focus on refinery while other players should also be allowed to play their role in the sector without being swallowed up.
He said, “We don’t want one strong man but many strong men,” he said, rejecting any form of monopoly by the Dangote Refinery.
Gillis-Harry said, “We hope that the industry leaders would be able to get everybody together on the same table to address issues so that everybody will be at peace. Yes, it is competition but competition of what size? Is it a competition of one winner takes all? It should be a competition of everybody winning and Nigerians winning on the ultimate term.
“We are not sitting down. PETROAN is also gathering momentum to be able to look for alternatives on how we can source our product for our teeming members.
“There is a PIA that has been passed and is functioning that rules the industry. Pricing is regulated by Article 207. Licensing also has its procedures and processes.
“Everybody has to have a license to operate in a certain way. So, if you have a license to operate as a refinery, please refine and let those who have licensing and operational permits also do so.
“Let those who have operational permits and requirements for logistics do so. And those of us who have operational approvals for retail outlets should also do our bits and do it effectively.”
Following the announcement on Sunday Dangote has faced stern criticism from not a few Nigerians, particularly keen sector players who insist that the plan is to muscle up other small players in the industry
The Refinery is owned by Africa’s Richest Man, Aliko Dangote.
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