Maduako Igbokwe l Wednesday, August 5, 2020
ONITSHA, Anambra, Nigeria – Operators of Petroleum downstream sector in Anambra state have given Governor Willie Obiano a 21 day ultimatum to call its agencies to order or risk total shut of petroleum supply in the state.
They said various government agencies have been intimidating and harassing them with multiple levies . The operators under the aegis of NNPC Enugu Depot Community issued the warning in a statement at the end of all stakeholders’ meeting held in Awka on Tuesday.
Members include the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Petroleum Dealers Association of Nigeria (PEDAN), Anambra Chapter, and Petroleum Tanker Drivers(PTD.
The statement was signed by Mr Chinedu Anyaso and Mr Emeka Iloafor, Chairman and Secretary respectively of IPMAN, Enugu Depot, Chief Cletus Okafor and Mr Peter Jideani, Chairman and secretary respectively of PEDAN and Mr Charles Ezeme and Mr Oliver Ekwueme of PTD Enugu Unit.
The Petroleum dealers said they have been harassed by different agencies of government under Internally Generated Revenue who distribute various demand notices for taxes and levies to their members against the existing agreed terms they had with government.
“At the end of the meeting, we resolve that Anambra government should direct the relevant agencies to withdraw all the demand notices revert to previous arrangement already in place and stop harassing our members.
“Government should reach out to the police authorities to stop forthwith the harassment and attacks on our petrol stations and advise them to focus on their surveillance on states and locations where petroleum products are loaded.
“Your Excellency Sir, we are expecting that government will act on the above demands within 21 working days to avoid leaving us with no other option than to call for withdrawal of services of our members as we cannot continue to operate under the present environment,” the statement added.
Special Adviser to Governor Willie Obiano on Oil and Gas, Mr Peter Nwosu who expressed displeasure over the development, promised to relay their message to the governor for appropriate action.
Nwosu who is also a patron of the group said Anambra would continue to provide conducive business environment for the group, saying that the governor would not allow the state to shutdown.
