Oil marketers on Thursday warned Nigeria could witness “the mother of all queues” from next week. This is if the Federal Government cannot pay the 12 months bridging claim that operators in the downstream oil sector owes them.
Dealers under the aegis of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria. Which controls about 70% of filling stations across the country. They also denied the payment of N74bn by the Federal Government as bridging claims for the transportation of petroleum products.
On Wednesday, the Federal Government through its Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority said it paid N74bn as bridging claims to oil marketers. This is for the transportation of petroleum products across the country in seven months. But in an interview with our correspondent on Thursday, the Secretary, Abuja-Suleja IPMAN, Mohammed Shuaibu. Whose unit covers Abuja, Kogi, Niger and parts of Nasarawa and Kaduna, countered the position of the NMDPRA on the payments of bridging claims.
The National President, Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association, Bennett Korie says that the cost of diesel had made it tough for filling stations to operate. They confirmed this on Thursday in Abuja, as many filling stations were shutdown due to lack of products. While the few ones that dispensed fuel had severe queues.
Retail outlets such as Gegu Oil, Eterna and Oando at the Dutse end of the Kubwa-Zuba road were closed. As well as many others in Abuja and its environs on Thursday. Korie explained marketers pay bridging claims because of the long distances which their trucks transport products across. But noted that the current high cost of diesel had made things tough.
-Punch.
