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IPMAN plans to build own refinery
ABUJA – THE Independent Petroleum Marketers of Nigeria (IPMAN) has said it
plans to build a refinery in the country to reduce the challenges associated
with importation of fuel and other petroleum products, a situation which it
said has cost the nation millions of dollars in oil revenue.
The newly-elected President of IPMAN, Alhaji Aminu Abdulkadir, made this
known on Wednesday, in an interview with journalists at the background of
the maiden meeting of the Central Working Committee of the organization.
He said the organization was interested in building a refinery to maximize
efficiency in the production and distribution of crude products but was
waiting for the government’s final white paper on the oil industry.
According to him, “Constructing a refinery is not a simple issue. You cannot
construct a refinery without knowing the government’s position on crude oil.
Is the government going to give us crude at a concessionary rate, or are
they going to say all private refineries will get the same incentives?”
Abdulkadir also noted that the new leadership was also assessing the debts
owed its members, and is in discussion with the Petroleum Equalization Fund
on how to get the bridging claims of members transporting imported products
from coastal areas to inland depots.
He noted that the NNPC still owed the PEF about N9 billion being
equalization payments that accumulated over a period of time and should have
been transferred to the independent marketers.
“The Managing Director of PPMC is taking the issue very seriously with the
corporate headquarters. Between now and next week, we hope it will be paid
so that our members can get their money,” he said.
He further noted that the union had over the years shown that it was
committed to the development of the sector due to the nature of projects it
had undertaken in cities like Lagos, Benin, and recently, efforts towards
expanding farm tanks to the northern part of the country.
He said, “Everybody knows that NIPCO, our commercial arm, has one of the
most modern terminals in Nigeria. We will continue with the expansion of our
depots in the East, maybe in Port Harcourt and Calabar, in addition to the
one in Lagos.”
Meanwhile, IPMAN has thrown its weight behind Federal Government’s plans to
deregulate the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry, even as it
urges for a “guided deregulation”, which would ensure that needs of the
group are met.
He said as a trade union representing the interest of businessmen, IPMAN
would demand favorable concessions from the government, if it must give its
full backing to the planned deregulation.
He said, “We are principally businessmen, and would seek policies and
concessions that would favor our businesses as well as contribute to the
growth and development of the sector. Therefore, we have said that we will
only support guided deregulation which would not jeopardize our interests as
a trade union.”
Abdulkadir added, “If government is ready to open up the downstream sector,
what will be the position of independent marketers? We have signed bulk
purchase agreement with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, and
many of our members constructed several petrol stations because of that
agreement.
“Therefore, there is a need for NNPC to sit with IPMAN and agree on
modalities for the deregulation because IPMAN is a major factor in the oil
industry and cannot be ignored in policy formulation.”
According to the IPMAN boss, the group was ready to support full
deregulation, but it would not settle for any policy that would harm the
businesses of its members.
“We are still talking with the ministry, NNPC, and members of the Oil and
Gas Reforms Implementation Committee so that independent petroleum marketers
will not be left out,” Abdulkadir remarked.
