The fuel scarcity crisis currently being experienced in some parts of the country have been projected to get worse in the coming days, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria revealed.
The solution, according to the association, is for the Federal Government to prevail on the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority to pay its members their outstanding bridging claims amounting to over N500 billion.
The revelation was made by IPMAN Chairman in Kano State, Bashir Danmalam, while addressing newsmen on Monday.
He expressed displeasure at failure of the NMDPRA to pay transportation claims, which he said had forced many of its members out of business.
“NMDPRA is responsible for the payment of bridging claims otherwise known as transportation claims.
“For failure of the NMDPRA to pay the outstanding claims for about nine months, many marketers cannot transport the product because their funds are not being paid. Despite the high price of diesel, they manage to supply the petroleum products nationwide.
“Out of 100 per cent, only five per cent of the marketers can supply the petroleum products because of the failure of NMDPRA to pay them.”
He therefore said Nigerians should blame NMDPRA for the fuel scarcity, not its members.