Northern IPMAN Gives FG 3 Days Ultimatum To Pay Them N76 Billion Unsettled Bridging Claims Or embark On Indefinite Strike Action
By Madu Mohammed, Maiduguri
The Northern Independent Petroleum Marketers Associations of Nigeria (IPMAN), Forum has given the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDRA) to settle their unpaid bridging claims of N76 billion or forced to embarked on indefinite strike action. Withdrawal of services at the nine depots across the Northern states.
Addressing newsmen at a press beefing, which held at the IPMAN office, Maiduguri, the spokesman of the Forum, Alhaji Abdulkadir Mustapha said the Forum has resolved to embark on 3 days withdrawal of service at the nine Northern depots of Maiduguri, Kano, Kaduna, Gombe, Yola, Gusau, Mina, Suleja and Yola.
“We the members of the IPMAN, wish clarify the air on our resolution to embark on 3 days withdrawal of services at the depots as warning action. For years, we have been following and lobbying the management of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDRA) regarding our unsettle bridging claims but no avail” Alhaji Mustapha stated.
The Forum said ” for us to transport a truck, it cost us N1.7 to N1.8 million as it took 1.700 to1,900 litres of diesels to transports a truck to and from and other allowances. We have over N76 billion unsettled claims, and therefore call on the Federal Government and well meaning Nigerians to intervened”.
Alhaji Abdulkadir Mustapha said as peace loving association, they called on the authority to pay them all their entitlements and ensure that henceforth, all products lifted are paid within the stipulated 30 days, as failure to do so will forced them to embark on indefinite strike in all depots and filling stations across the Northern states.
He said a lot of their claims for 2019 and 2021have not been paid, as well as non payment of 2022 claims, stressing that only 5 percent of their payment was paid and called on the Federal government to intervened to avoid forcing their members out of business..
The spokesman further said ” this is causing untold hardship on our teeming members, hence we have resolved at our meeting held on 17th August, 2022 at Porto Gulf Hotel, Kano state to withdrew our services at the Depots for 3 days as stated above”.
