IPMAN Divided Over Planned Shut Down Of Operations Nationwide

By Ayodele Oni

There seems to be a division over directive by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN)  to members to suspend all operations across the country.

Members of the body form the bulk of Major distributors of Premium Motor Spirit, (PMS) popularly called petrol nationwide.

IPMAN also directed its members to suspend payment of ordering products from source until further notice.

In a counter directive, the IPMAN National Operations Controller, Mike Osatuyi, said the insinuation that marketers had concluded plans to shut down operations should be disregarded.

In a statement on Tuesday  by its chairman, Mohammed Kuluwu stated that the directive to shut down operation is mandatory on all members.

IPMAN had, on Monday, debunked the report that marketers will shut down operations once the government starts the enforcement of N195 per litre pump price on Monday.

The IPMAN National Operations Controller, Mike Osatuyi, who made this known, said the insinuation that marketers had concluded plans to shut down operations from Monday should be disregarded.

The IPMAN Publicity Officer, lbadan Depot, Mojeed Adesope, last Friday, called for the shutdown of all IPMAN filling stations due to the government’s pronouncement that the pump price of petrol should not exceed N195 per litre.

Adesope said dealers, particularly independent marketers, described the development as tough due to the high ex-depot price of the commodity.

Osatuyi, however, said Adesope has no mandate to talk on behalf of the national body of the association, adding that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) was preparing the logistics to start supplying petrol to IPMAN members directly.