The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in Rivers State says Port Harcourt and other surrounding areas are unlikely to face the fuel scarcity hitting some parts of the country.
IPMAN in Rivers State said that there is enough fuel stock, dousing fears of queues returning to filling stations in the area.
The IPMAN Rivers State Public Relations Officer Agbakwuo Uzochukwu said that the scarcity and price increases observed in some parts of the country stem from the closure of government-regulated depots limiting access for independent petroleum marketers. This closure, according to him forces, marketers to rely on private depots where prices are subject to fluctuations.
“So it may not rise to what other states are selling for now. But if all the states now are dependent on River State, automatically once the product goes down, it may start affecting us in River State,” he said on Monday evening. “So for now, there’s enough product in Rivers State.”
Uzochukwu warned that Rivers State could face similar challenges if government-regulated depots remain inaccessible and other states turn to private depots in the state for fuel supplies.