Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The House of Representatives has ordered investigation to the alleged discriminatory practices of Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) and the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPRA) against the Independent Petroleum Marketers (IPMAN) on the sales of petrol.
The Deputy Speaker, Ibrahim Wase, who presided over the plenary yesterday, ordered investigation into the matter with a view to ensuring a uniform pricing regime for all concerned marketers, and ordered that the report be submitted within four weeks for further legislative action.
Hon. Odebunmi Dokun, who moved the motion, expressed worry that PPMC, being the coordinator of petroleum products distribution in the downstream sector, was selling petrol to both the major marketers and independent marketers at different prices.
He alleged that PPMC was selling petrol to major marketers at N125. 65k per litre, while also selling the same product to independent marketers at N133. 28 per litre.
Odebunmi expressed concern that since members of the two blocs are selling the products to retailers in the same market, the discriminatory prices had been affecting the participatory capacity of the independent marketers in the market as well as impoverishing them against their counterparts in the sector.
He also stressed the need to check the discriminatory practices of the PPMC in order to give all concerned marketers a sense of belonging.
The House, therefore, mandated “the Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) to investigate the matter with a view to ensuring a uniform pricing regime for all concerned marketers, and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.”
