WARRI—THE Delta State Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, weekend, in Warri, Delta State appealed to the Federal Government to maintain the post-amnesty programme to ensure the availability of petroleum products, as derailment will throw the nation into untold hardship.
Chief Akpos Edafevwotu, IPMAN Chairman, said since the Federal Government granted amnesty to the militants, vandalisation of pipelines had reduced drastically, which has occasioned the availability and low prices of petroleum products.

Edafevwotu said if the amnesty programme is not breached, petroleum products will be available and the multiplier effect will be reduced prices of fuel, kerosene and diesel, such that Nigerians will wonder if marketers are actually  making profit.

He assured that the scarcity of fuel and kerosene will be a thing of the past. “If militants do not burst pipelines, prices of petroleum products will come down more than what it is now. It will be so reduced that people will wonder if we are making profits at all. We beg the government that the amnesty should be sustaianed,” he added.

Reacting on differences in kerosene price in all filling stations and whether IPMAN feel threatened by the presence of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC’s mega stations, a competitor in the petroleum business, he said  that kerosene has been deregulated, hence the price is not fixed and that the Mega stations were no threat to IPMAN, as  the Association can compete favourable   with them.

IPMAN observed a minute silent for late President Musa Yar’Adua and Mr Joseph Amabuolose, late Managing Director of JOAMUSCO, a member of the association.

Edafevwotu added that his administration had successfully implemented the three points agenda of the association, which is noticeable in the peace in the environment where members do their businesses and the cordial relationship IPMAN members and other stakeholders.

He said  that cases of looting and breaking of cars boot and harassment of marketers by some faceless persons has become a thing of the past.