Oil: Respond to marketers demand to avert shutdown – Reps tell FG

By Christiana Ekpa and Umar Muhammad Puma

The House of Representatives on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to respond positively to the demand of the Deport and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria DAPPMAN to avert the proposed shut down of private depot and the massive sack of workers.
It equally mandated the committee on Legislative Compliance to ensure the implementation The resolution followed a motion moved under matters of urgent public importance by Hon Bolaji Ayinla (APC Lagos) at the Plenary.
Ayinla noted that on 22nd of February DAPPMAN issued a 14 day ultimatum threatening to shut down their depots and embark on massive sack of their workers if the outstanding subsidy debt of 650 billion naira owed to its members are not paid by Federal Government.
The lawmaker expressed worry that if the association is allowed to fulfill its threat, it would have a multiplier effect on the Nationwide supply and distribution of Petroleum Products.
“Concerned that if the association is allowed to fulfill its threat, it would have a multiplier effect on the national wide supply and distribution of petroleum products as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) uses the private depots owned by members of the association to stock most of its imported products for a fee due to shortage facilities in the country
“Aware that sometime in 2017, the Vice President, prof . Yemi Osibanjo directed the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun to pay oil marketers their outstanding subsidy claims estimated at about $2 billion dollars after verification but the debt is still outstanding “Further aware of the lamentation of the members of the association who claims that they are heavily indebted to banks that are threatening to take over their petrol stations and tank farms if their debt are not settled. They are also indebted to tanker owners and drivers for freight services “Convinced that there is a need by the Federal Government to respond positively to the demand of the DAPPMAN in order to prevent another round of terrible fuel scarcity that can cause untold hardship for the generality of Nigerians” he added.
He lamented that members of the association are heavily indebted to banks, that are threatening to take over their patrol stations and tank farms, if their debts are not settled.
Ayinla stressed the need for the Federal Government to respond positively to their demand in order to prevent another round of terrible fuel scarcity that causes untold hardships on Nigerians.
In his ruling, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara mandated the Committee on Legislative compliance to ensure the implementation.