Abubakar Garima, President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association, IPMAN, has said that the members of his association has over N40 billion outstanding with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL.
Garima said petroleum marketers were still waiting for NNPCL to load their product.
The IPMAN boss spoke on Wednesday while fielding questions on Channels Television’s Breakfast Show programme.
Speaking on recent claim by Dangote Refinery that it has over 500 million litres of pretroleum in its tank, Garima said that marketers definitely are ready to buy the product, if Dangote Refinery will be able to send product to them directly.
He said: “In fact we, Independent Petroleum Marketers, we are still waiting for NNPCL to load our product. Recently as I am speaking now, we have over N40 billion outstanding with the NNPCL to load products.
“And my marketers are always looking the way they can get this product directly. So, I am very surprised when I had Dangote say he has over 500 million liters of PMS
“We, Independent Petroleum marketers, if he can be able to send this product to us directly, definitely we are ready to buy the product. Because we have to pay before we pick.
“Presently, just like what I have said, we have over N40 billion under the NNPCL custody. We cannot be able to source this product.
“And just of recent, there are some of my marketers, Independent Petroleum Marketers, that NNPCL sent to go and load in Dangote refinery, I am telling you those marketers they stayed with their trucks over 4 days. They cannot be able to load.
“So there are so many challenges. Well in fact, I didn’t know the reason. And that is the reason why we have been contacting Dangote management to allow us to start taking this product directly so that we know immediately when we paid for the product we can be able to pick this product. So if dangote is having this 500 million liters on the stock, we tell Dangote we are ready to buy this product that I have said directly.”