IPMAN moves to combat smuggling, adulteration of petroleum products, visits NSCDC

The leadership of the Independent Marketers’ Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), under its president, Alhaji Abubakar Maigand Shettima has geared efforts to ensure all bottlenecks hindering free flow of petroleum products in Nigeria are tackled and resolved.

The association has not only reeled out series of solutions to these hindrances, it has also engaged agencies in the Oil and Gas Industry in different capacities to make petroleum products available at the top of fingers of Nigerians.

In one of such moves, and in a bid to combat smuggling, adulteration of petroleum products as well as oil theft in Nigeria, a delegation of IPMAN led by Maigand paid a courtesy visit to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in its office in Abuja.

During the engagement, Shettima requested a collaboration between IPMAN and the NSCDC in preventing nefarious activities of oil theft that have been ravaging the Industry.

He said by working together, Nigeria will have an Oil and Gas Industry that flows freely.

In his response, the Comptroller General of the NSCDC, Mohammed Audi commended efforts made so far by the IPMAN in order to make the industry conducive, and for business to triumph.

Audi promised to partner with IPMAN in tackling the menace of oil theft and economic sabotage in the industry.

He also charged IPMAN to always make their opinions channelled to the NSCDC to enable the agency identify areas of crude oil theft and associated arms for proper actions.

In a press release made available to newsmen in Lagos on Monday, IPMAN president acknowledged efforts of the Commandant General of NSCDC in repositioning the Corps for greeter efficiency in the oil sector.

IPMAN recently also stressed the need for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) to explain to Nigerians how funds deployed for the drilling of oil at the Kolmani River between Bauchi and Gombe states were expended.

The Principal Consultant to IPMAN, Mr. Maurice Ibe made the call while featuring on the Prime Time, a programme on Arise News Channel.

Citing this as another way of liberating the oil sector from its plights while responding to a question on the seeming abandonment of the Kolmani drilling project 16 months after former President Muhammadu Buhari flagged off the project with a lot of fanfare and publicity, Ibe said NNPC was the right authority to provide information on what happened in the project.

The Kolmani River Field, located in-between Bauchi and Gombe States in the Upper Benue trough, had been estimated to hold about 1 billion barrels crude oil reserve and 500 billion cubic feet of gas deposit.

At another time, IPMAN had called on the federal government of Nigeria to take advantage of indigenous technology in addressing Nigeria petroleum refining challenges.

An official of the association said that only local production of petroleum products could bring lasting solutions to the country’s energy challenges.

According to him, the current state of affairs in the downstream sector is unsustainable and the lack of refining capacity is making it worse.

“I expect that part of the federal government’s immediate plan is to get our local refineries working through the fixing of the four existing refineries and encouraging establishment of modular refineries.

Speaking on fuel scarcity that’s gradually resurfacing in Abuja, Lagos, Ogun and some other parts of the country, IPMAN National Vice President, Hammed Fash ola, also pointed out problems the industry has been battling.

He said: “currently, independent marketers cannot buy what the private depots are selling. They are selling fuel between N715 and N720 per litre. How much will marketers sell the product? Look at the cost of bringing it to their depots; with transportation and other depot expenses, it will be too costly for them.

“That is why the stations are shut down. Some marketers refuse to go and buy because they know the masses cannot afford high-priced petrol in this economy. That is the situation for now.”

While Fashola charged the NNPC, who he said “is the sole importer of petroleum products at the moment” to explain to Nigerians the reason for the current scarcity of fuel, the lPMAN V.P also, proffered that should NNPC supply fuel to independent marketers regularly, Nigeria will be better for it.

Despite efforts made so far by the IPMAN, the body is unrelenting in proffering solutions to the many challenges erupting the oil sector. Its leadership are engaging in series of workshops, symposiums and regular consultation with relevant agencies to make the industry conducive.