By Adewale Sanyaolu
Nigeria may soon face another round of fuel scarcity as the South West branch of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has threatened to withdraw its members’ services over the introduction of Bulk Purchase Agreement (BPA) fee by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
The association, which gave this indication yesterday lamented that renewal of BPA by petroleum marketers was usually free, but warned that the i,position of a five-year BPA fee by NNPC may set it on a collision course with its members, who have vowed not to comply with the NNPC directive.
Confirming the development to Daily Sun, Chairman, IPMAN Ibadan Depot, Alhaji Raheem Tayo, said the decision of NNPC to impose a N125,000 BPA annual fee on each marketer was unacceptable, considering that the Ibadan Depot of NNPC has been out of service for over two years.
‘‘How can our members be subjected to the payment of N125,000 annually for BPA fee, when we are loading petroleum products from private depots that charge far above the recommended retail price fixed by government,’’ he lamented.
Tayo pointed out that NNPC’s request that the BPA fee be paid five years upfront, amounting to N625,000 per marketer may turned out to the last straw that broke the carmel’s back .
The development, according to the Ibadan IPMAN Depot boss, will lead to untold hardship for motorists because the association would not hesitate to shut down its retail outlets across the South West, if NNPC’s decision was not reversed.
He explained that the association has advised its members to discountenance payment for BPA, adding that its renewal should not take precedence over the resuscitation of the NNPC Ibadan depot.
On the lingering bottlenecks surrounding availability of petroleum products to be lifted by its members at private depots, he said members have mandated him and his executives to liaise with the zone towards finding lasting solution to the issue of the private depot owners in Apapa, Lagos, with the view of getting their fair share of allocation of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
Meanwhile, IPMAN Ibadan depot has inaugurated a 16-member executive to form part of the newly harmonised depot, zonal and national executive to steer its affairs for the next five years.
The new Ibadan depot executive has Alhaji Raheem Rasaq Tayo, Mr. Samuel Egbewole and Mrs Salawu Olufunke as Chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary respectively.
In a related development, Tayo has called on the Oyo State government to look into the issue of huge taxes and levies, which, he said, was impacting negatively on the operations of IPMAN members.