The Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA) has urged the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to stop blaming marketers for the lingering fuel scarcity rocking the country.
In a statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Femi Adewole, DAPPMA stated that “PPMC/NNPC does not transact business with DAPPMA members on credit hence we are not aware of any indebtedness to PPMC/NNPC by our members. We again reject any attempt to blame marketers for the shortfall in supply as it is not our making since NNPC has been the sole importer since October 2017.
“Marketers have continued to sacrifice to keep the country wet with fuel despite over N600billion debt owed our members and over N800billion owed marketers as a whole by the Federal Government.
“The essence of our initial ‘Press Release’ was to throw light on salient issues surrounding the shortfall in current petrol supply which is presently solely handled by the NNPC. It was not an attempt to join issues with PPMC/NNPC with whom we are partners.”
Furthermore, it said NNPC’s view of its press release stating its side of the story and seeking to defend marketers for the very first time, against the unwarranted accusations of hoarding and profiteering is rather unfortunate.
“It is an undisputable fact that DAPPMA members have paid for petrol supply (with bank funds) for over one month, the value of which is in excess of N90billion, yet PPMC/NNPC had no cargo to allocate to them.
As such how can we be held responsible for hoarding?
“We assure Nigerians, irrespective of NNPC’s stance, that all possible steps are being taken as we have always done, to cooperate with PPMC/NNPC to eliminate the fuel queues nationwide within the next few days,” it said.