The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) of trying to shortchange it by refusing to either supply petrol at the old price paid by its member or refund their money.
IPMAN said the members paid for the product before the recent hike in petrol prices, pushing the cost to around N1030.
IPMAN National President, Abubakar Garima, while featuring on Channels Television’s Morning Brief programme on Thursday, said they had paid for petrol products before the NNPCL announced the increment on Wednesday.
He, however, added that the company had been asking them to pay the balance before they can load products.
Garima said NNPCL collected the product from Dangote at less than N900 but “they are asking us to buy the same product at N1,010 in Lagos, N1,045 in Calabar, N1,050 in Port Harcourt, and N1,040 in Warri”.
He said, “We the independent market cannot load because since they made this increment, we have not loaded a single truck because we have to pay cash before we load the products.”
“The cash that is already with the NNPCL, they refused to load us since we have already paid for the products. They refused to load us and told us to come and complete the difference.”
“Completion of the difference is not a small thing because there are some formalities which we have to follow before we complete it.”
“Secondly, when we realize the price they are getting from Dangote Refinery and in their filling stations, they are selling below the price they are giving us at the depot, it is a great challenge.
“Because when we go there and buy, then add our transportation money, at the end of the day, our price will go higher compared to the way they have been selling.”
“We have told them to see how they can return our money to our banks so that we can go directly to Dangote and buy.”
“Presently, our money is with them because normally we buy products directly from them (Dangote) before loading. Now, our money is with them.”
“We have told them to either sell to us at the same amount Dangote is giving them or they return our money back and we will go to Dangote and buy. We started the negotiation yesterday (Wednesday),” he added.
He said the NNPCL asked them to buy the product at N990 while at its filling stations, it is selling at N998 because it is getting the product at lower than N900 from Dangote Refinery.
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