By Ndahi Marama

Maiduguri—The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, is to embark on a warning strike over the failure of Federal Government to pay N70 billion bridging claims.

According to the association, it had been lobbying the management of the Nigerian Mid and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, but to no avail.

Declaring the warning strike, yesterday, at a news conference in Maiduguri,  General Secretary of Maiduguri Depot, Abbas Yakubu, said: “Failure to pay our bridging claims will lead to the suspension of services at the nine oil depots.”

The depots to be affected by the three-day warning strike are located in Maiduguri, Yola, Kano, Gusau, Jos, Suleija, Kaduna, Gombe and Minna.

He lamented the non-payment of claims had caused untold hardship on members of IPMAN with a resolve to withdraw services at the nine fuel depots.

He noted that even though about N2 billion had been paid, there was higher part of the outstanding bridging claims yet to be settled.

“No payment has been made in the last three years,” he said.

He urged NMDPRA to pay the outstanding N70 billion bridging claims to members of the association.

Besides, the payments, he added that all lifted products, should be settled or paid within a month, as agreed with the petroleum regulatory agency.

He warned that failure to do so, could lead to an indefinite suspension of services in all fuel depots and filling stations.