If the threat by owners of mega fuel stations in Nigeria under the aegis of Mega Filling Station Owners of Nigeria, AMFSON, is anything to go by, then Nigerians will have to prepare for another round of scarcity of petrol.
This is because the body has vowed to shut down operations if the Federal Government does not stop the imposition of a lower pump price on them through the Nigeria National Petroleum Company, NNPC.
Addressing newsmen in Kaduna, the group claimed Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, who is also the Group Managing Director of NNPC, had directed that all mega filling stations sell fuel at varying rates of N130, N135 and N140 per litre, while their other competitors sell at N145 per litre.
Speaking on behalf of AMFSON, Kenneth Nwachukwu, the association’s national Secretary said: “We are kicking against a directive by the Minister of State for Petroleum that we sell fuel for less than N145 per litre. We are all marketers and we get supplies at the same source and at the same price.
“Why should we be made to sell at N130, N135 and N140 per litre while others sell for N145 per litre? With this pronouncement by the Minister, we foresee a looming fuel scarcity because we may have to shut operations nationwide.”
Nwachukwu said further that, “We also see fuel scarcity because some unscrupulous marketers would rather get their supplies and sell in the black market at N145 than take the fuel to their stations and this will cause another crisis in the retail chain.”
“We have never seen this kind of policy. In fact, it will increase corruption which government is fighting tooth and nail to stop.”
“Some people are already bribing their way at the depots and officials there are selling to them at a price lower than the official one. These people can afford to sell at a price lower than N145. But we buy at official price and as such cannot be forced sell lower than N145,” he added.
