IBADAN, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) says it has called off the suspension stated in a notice earlier sent to its members following amicable resolution of the issues in contention.
Alhaji Mohammed Kuluwa, the IPMAN Chairman, had earlier directed that IPMAN members in Borno State should suspend ordering products from source until further notice.
The association said the decision followed, “the critical situation as it affect our sourcing and selling of product at lost (sic) and the action of the authority to impose the selling of product at a lost price (sic) on our side.”
However, the association said the issues have been resolved and its members have been told to resume operations.
In the retraction issued on Tuesday, Alhaji Kuluwa said: “Having met with the concerned authority, all filling stations should open with immediate effect. Continue selling while the association continues with further consultation and accordingly keep you informed.”
Spokesman of IPMAN office in Maiduguri, Borno State, where suspension notice emanated from, Abdulkadir Mustapha, told Leadership on Tuesday via telephone that, “Yes, the suspension notice is confirmed as genuine but we have already resolved the issue and directed all the members to start dispensing fuel since an hour ago.”
In a statement dated 6 February, 2023, and signed by Mohammed Kuluwu, chairman of IPMAN, in Maiduguri, Borno State, the marketers were also ordered to suspend payment of ordering products from source until further notice.
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria later described the news doing the rounds that its over 30, 000 members would be shutting down their fueling stations, as fake.
The National Controller Operations, IPMAN, Mike Osatuyi, who spoke with The Punch on Tuesday, said the memo to members which emanated from the Chairman, IPMAN Borno chapter, Mohammed Kuluwa, earlier on Tuesday, asking all its members in the state to suspend services was a wrong move and it was fake.
“Fake news. Bad eggs and sabotage,” Osatuyi said.
Also, the IPMAN National President, Elder Chinedu Okonkwo, said Kuluwa should not have issued the statement credited to him.
“He should not have issued the statement. In fact, he has retracted it,” Okonkwo said.