The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) says Nigerians must prepare for the worst fuel scarcity crisis to hit the country.
This, the association said, is due to N500 billion bridging claims being owed its members by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
IPMAN charged the Federal Government to prevail on NMDPRA to pay the claims, also called transportation claims.
Addressing journalists on Monday, Bashir Dan malam, Kano chapter chairman of the association, said that accumulation of the claims has forced many of its members out of business as they could no longer transport the product due to high cost of diesel.
Danmalam said, “NMDPRA is responsible for the payment of bridging claims otherwise known as transportation claims.
“For failure of the NMDPRA to pay the outstanding claims for about nine months, many marketers cannot transport the product because their funds are not being paid. Despite the high price of diesel, they manage to supply the petroleum products nationwide.
“The resurfacing of fuel queues in Abuja is just a tip of the iceberg with regard to the petroleum scarcity.
“Out of 100 per cent, only five per cent of the marketers can supply the petroleum products because of the failure of NMDPRA to pay them.”
According to him, IPMAN members have only been paid twice since the amalgamation of DPR, PEF, and PPRA to NMDPRA.
Danmalam noted that the agency was doing more harm to IPMAN members than good.
He said that NMDPRA must be prevailed upon to pay the claims or a serious fuel crisis could hit the nation.