As Fuel consumers lament the recent hike of the product from N180 per litre to between N200 and N220 per litre , Independent Marketers in Delta State have attributed the hike to alleged Racketeering by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company limited NNPC .
Actual News Correspondent who monitored the sales of fuel in some cities in Delta State including Warri ,Udu ,Ughelli ,Uvwie Agbor amongst others reports that some filling stations shut services to fuel consumers while others sold fuel between N200 and N220 per litre .
Recall that three months after regulators quietly approved an increment in fuel prices, following claims by marketers that they can no longer sustain operations and sell at the regulated price of N165 per litre, another hike has begun
Reacting to the fuel Hike ,the Chairman IPMAN Delta State Branch , Comrade Zino Enamor said independent marketers should not be blamed for the hike in pump price rather NNPC limited should be blamed .
Comrade Enamor who spoke through the Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association Of Nigeria, IPMAN ,Delta State branch Mr Frank Nwaola alleged that NNPC released fuel to private depots who now sell the products to Agents and IPMAN then purchase from Agents at N198 per litre .
Comrade Enamor described the action of NNPC Limited as Racketeering .
” NNPC management is making money from private owned Depots that is why they prefer to supply fuel to them instead of their own Depot in Warri inorder to enrich themselves ” he said .
IPMAN Chairman added that Independent Marketers have no other choice than to sell fuel between N200 and N220 per litre after purchasing it from Private Owned Deports Agents .
The Independent Marketers appealed to the Federal Government to prevail on the management of NNPC limited to make use of Warri Depot inorder for them to get fuel at Government approved price.
The independent marketers also appealed to NNPC limited to give Marketers in southern Nigeria payment advise ,stressing that the last time they receive it was in 2001.
Motorists and commuters in Delta state now Purchase Fuel between N200 and N220 per litre for petrol.
They urged the Federal Government to repair the Refineries in the country and stop importing fuel
One Mr Okoro Peter and Mrs Patience Ere said they now use most of their income to purchase Fuel.
