Fuel Distributors Seek FG’s Payment of over N500bn Bridging Cost

Ibrahim Shuaibu

The Association of Transporters and Distributors of Petroleum Products (ATDIPP) has asked the federal government to settle its over N500 billion bridging cost claims of its members.

Addressing journalists yesterday in Kano after a stakeholders’ awareness meeting with members of the association in the northwest, ATDIPP consultant, Dr. Maurice Ibe debunked the claim of the federal government that it had paid N70 billion to some marketers. He challenged the mainstream regulatory authority to substantiate its claims with proof, insisting that marketers would not hesitate to shut down the entire economy if the federal government continues to ignore their request.

Maurice, who lamented the high cost of running petroleum business in Nigeria, argued that the marketer also deserved concession to secure dollars from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) similar to some other sectors considered critical.

 “We are demanding over N500 billion from the federal government and we have been seeking an audience with them, calling on them to do the needful in the interest of national security.

“They have not paid even though they claimed to have paid N70 billon to some members. We say that’s ridiculous but we challenged them to come out with proof of payment.

 “These monies are owned by individual marketers but we have a situation where some individual members are being undermined and under paid on an individual basis and we want to put a stop to that in order to make a unanimous claim. This way we can have joint efforts to stop the undermine payment.

 “Again, we are saying if you have paid, show us the evidence for the payment. And if our businesses are dying the way it is, it may affect the supply of the product in the country.

“For now, we are not going to shut down. We want to negotiate, but if it gets worse it may come to the level where the economy would collapse.”

 ATDIPP demands came when an independent marketer in Kano, Alhaji Yahaya Maikifi insisted that marketers have not been informed about a new regulated pump price.