The Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in Akwa Ibom has assured consumers that petrol would be available in the state in spite of the three-day warning strike to be embarked upon by NUPENG.
The Chairman of Association, Mr Ubong Isong, gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Uyo on Monday.
He said that petrol would be available at the government approved pump price of N145 per litre.
Isong said that petrol consumption rate in Akwa Ibom was higher than that of Cross River as the state consumed about one million litres of petrol daily.
He said that Akwa Ibom needed 30 trucks of petrol to meet it’s daily requirement.
“Definitely there will be availability of fuel and the price of the product will not change.
“We have instructed our members not to take advantage of NUPENG’s warning strike to hike price of fuel in the state,” Isong said.
He said that marketers required consumers’ goodwill to stay in business and therefore should not indulge in sharp practices.
The IPMAN chairman said that any member found wanting would be sanctioned accordingly.
The chairman said IPMAN had put measures in place to monitor the sale and price of petroleum products in the state during the period.
He said that supply from NNPC might not be sufficient for marketers, hence some of the independent marketers would source from private depots to ensure that fuel was available in the state.
Isong advised consumers not to indulge in panic buying to avoid unforeseen consequences as there would enough product to last the period of the warning strike.
He said that part of the challenges of marketers was lack of funds as the business required huge capital and appealed to state government to grant soft loans to members to reduce their debt burden.
NAN reports that the NUPENG central working committee said the strike was due to the refusal of National Association of Transport Owner (NARTO) to commence negotiation with the union on the working conditions of the tanker drivers.
(NAN)