NSCDC, Private Tank Farm Owners Behind Fuel Scarcity In Rivers – IPMAN

Rivers residents woke up to baffling fuel queues on Monday morning

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has accused the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and owners of private tank farms of being behind the current scarcity of petroleum products in Rivers State.

The association is therefore appealing to the Federal Government and the Directorate of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to call the NSCDC and owners of private tank farms to order to avoid escalation of the scarcity.

Media reports Chairman of IPMAN in Rivers State, Prince Sunny Nkpe, spoke yesterday while addressing newsmen at the association’s secretariat in Alesa-Eleme in Eleme local government area of the state.

Nkpe said, “We want to call the attention of the government and the DPR to the activities of private tank owners who have arbitrarily jerked up the price of products sold to us and to the harassment meted to us by unauthorized agencies especially officials of the NSCDC. It is only the DPR is empowered to monitor our activities and should charge any defaulting marketer to court rather than harass us this way.”

He called for immediate action from the government as the 2015 general elections are fast approaching, pointing out that the independent marketers account for over 80% of the quantity used nationwide.

Nkpe, who stated that already the Imo and Abia State chapters of IPMAN had gone on strike over the ugly development, said, “The DPR should tell us if they are now in synergy with the NSCDC in performing their duties.”

Also speaking, chairman of Elders’ Council of the association, Chief Richard Orianwo said the regulated price for private tank owners is N77.66 and not N92.00 per litre as currently being sold and called for government intervention so they can continue to sell at the approved N87.00 pump price per litre.