The Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria IPMAN has called for all-inclusive and expanded membership of operation white inter-agency committee on downstream automation with full recognition of independent marketers in the membership.
IPMAN Chairman, Kano unit, comprises Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Bauchi and Yobe, Alh. Bashir DanMallam made the demand on Tuesday while addressing journalists in Kano.
DanMallam who applauded the recent launch of the automation of the downstream sector by Federal government and inauguration of the interagency committee in Lagos regretted the noninclusion of some major stakeholders, including IPMAN.
The IPMAN boss who stressed the importance of automation of the sector was assured the ara of claims and counterclaims in payment of products is over with the paradigm shift.
DanMallam was equally optimistic that the automation of the downstream will also facilitate process and subsequent settlement of marketers’ outstanding payments, including the Petroleum Equalization Fund (PEF).
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The independent marketers had recently threatened to shut down operations, failure of the private depots’ owners to pay their PEF, just as they solicited NNPC’s intervention.
“We are the new development in the petroleum industry with the inauguration of the interagency committee by the honourable minister of state for petroleum resources and the subsequent launch of the financial monitoring center in Lagos.
“The process would no doubt put to rest the spate of claims and counterclaims about the volume of products imported, consumed, smuggled, in an open and transparent manner.
“As for us the marketers, we are glad the new system will hence our claims and allowances such that its would-be freed and payment process fast-tracked.
“However, we are calling on the minister, and heads of agencies specifically the GMD NNPC, PEFMB, PPPRA and DPR to as a matter of urgency expand the committee to include representatives of marketers with due regard to the stakeholders in the downstream sector, most especially the distribution arm of the petroleum product which IPMAN constitutes 80 percent.”. Dan Mallam explained.
Chairman said IPMAN believes the federal government is sincere and people-oriented, which he said is rooted in its closeness to the grassroots and IPMAN invests. He noted that the noble idea is inconclusive without IPMAN’s involvement.
In August 2018, the Federal government approved the fuel tracking technology, an automated payment system, for payment of Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF), a new paradigm shift geared towards harmonizing fuel consumption figures, eliminating opaqueness and bringing efficiency and transparency in supply and distribution of petroleum products in Nigeria.
