Despite the order by the federal government to petroleum marketers to sell a litre of petrol for N87, the Imo State Independent Petroleum Marketers Association and Dealers has said that it would be impossible for them to sell at the new pump price.
The state chairman of the association, Mr Christopher Amadi, disclosed this while announcing the suspension of the three-day warning strike embarked upon by the marketers in protest of the harrasment by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) on their members over the new pump price.
However, the protesting marketers suspended their strike after a meeting with the state deputy governor, Prince Eze Madumere, who appealed to them to call off the strike so that mischievous elements do not capitalise on the situation to cause chaos in the state.
The protest which entered Day 2 yesterday has forced up the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) which is only sold at night at N100 per litre before it was called off.
Earlier in a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting of the executive members of the group, the marketers accused the DPR and other government agencies of fleecing the marketers through the imposition of illegal fines.
They explained that “currently the marketers are buying the PMS from private depots in Port Harcourt and Calabar at above N90 per litre and are forced to sell for N87 per litre as approved by government.”
The communiqué added further that “the DPR and other relevant agencies instead of improving the supply go to petrol stations harassing and imposing huge fines ranging from N100, 000 on the marketers and locking up the petrol stations.”
Source : Leadership
