*Threatens to close its stations, if…
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) is canvassing a phased deregulation of the nation’s downstream oil and gas sector over a15 –year period.
The association’s position was made known through its public relations officer Dr Leo Kamene at a recent meeting of its unit in Aba, Abia state where he also disclosed that the position of the association had already been forwarded to the presidency.
Arguing that government “IPMAN is not fighting the administration and neither is it against the policy, but we believe that the right things must be done,” he said that IPMAN does not have total disdain for deregulation, but prefers that there should be guided deregulation.
According to him, the association is canvassing for a 15-year guided deregulation because of it’s believe that within those years, the federal government would have revived the moribund refineries, depots and other infrastructure across the country.
IPMAN, he stressed, is convinced that government was ill-advised on the policy of deregulation, adding that it was crated by those who want to put its members out of business. The PRO however disclosed that IPMAN had resolved to shut down all its stations in the country should federal government rebuff its advice on guided deregulation.
According to the IPMAN spokesperson, if the government went ahead with its propose full deregulation policy, while it still relies on importation which is denominated in foreign currency, the end result is astronomical price hike and a resultant adverse economic effect on the citizenry.
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