Speaking with journalists at the IPMAN headquarters in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, over the weekend, shortly after meeting with stakeholders, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Petroleum Tankers Drivers (PTD), and others on the possibility of resolving the fuel shortage, Alhaji Bukola Mutiu, IPMAN chairman for the Ibadan depot that covers Oyo and Osun states, stated that Nigerians should not blame independent marketers for the current fuel shortage in the country.

He remarked, "We want the populace to understand that neither we nor any independent marketer were responsible for the fuel problem." We have been disallowed direct payment to the NNPC remittance portal, which they ordinarily require us to use.

If we are able to pay the NNPC and receive the product, we are receiving it at a discounted rate, allowing us to sell at the permitted pump price.

"NNPC is responsible for the current fuel crisis, since if there is a supply shortfall and you are a responsible manager of the product, you should know who to deliver the product to, namely those who will not hoard it." As independent marketers, we have a greater proportion of fuel stations; in Nigeria, we have more than 80 percent of petrol stations at now.

Since the beginning of this year, no existing NNPC-licensed marketing organisations have been given the opportunity to pay, meaning that there has been no fuel at NNPC Ibadan for almost six months.

We have not filled a single litre of fuel at the Apata facility in Ibadan, and none of our five Southwest facilities are now operational.

"We must go to private depots to purchase fuel, and we have been paying exorbitant prices ranging from N212 to N220 per litre without truck expenses, to the level of N221 and N222 per litre as of the end of business yesterday, and if you add N30 transportation to Ibadan, for example, from Lagos to Ibadan, and the total cost of transport on a litre from Lagos to Ibadan is N30, the total cost of transport on a litre

"As of now, NNPC is the only entity that imports petroleum goods into this nation, and the product that is supposed to be delivered to us as independent marketers who are officially registered with them is being given to private hands, so we are purchasing from a third party."

"Another reason is that the majority of South-West states are forbidden access to fuel; if you examine our waybills, you'll notice that we buy from marketers in other regions, such as the north and east." Therefore, we are using this forum to appeal to the authorities and top NNPC officials to investigate our situation. We receive things, but we purchase them from third parties.

Mutiu added, however, that if the Federal Government, through the NNPC, fails to act appropriately on the current scenario, marketers will have no choice but to withdraw their services, as they are still operating at a loss although selling at a very high price.

Mr. Olukayode Martins, chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in Oyo State, also commented on the fuel situation: "We read in the news that the channel via which this fuel travels across the country is so convoluted; they've made it so tough for the marketers to obtain this fuel. The NNPC should do whatever is necessary for the benefit of the populace. Perhaps it should eliminate the channel so that we have access to it.

"I also want to urge the populace, particularly in the state of Oyo, to calm down because the environment is already tight."

They should be at peace at this hour, and I'm confident that with God on our side, we'll get to the bottom of this situation."