Yemisi Izuora
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has distanced itself from one Mr. Lawson Ngoa who is parading himself as interim management secretary of the Association.
It also dismissed his claims that the Association is responsible for the ongoing petrol crises across the country.
The IPMAN said that Ngoa is neither a member of the body but rather an agent of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources who was engaged to mediate in the crises of the Association.
National Operations Controller of IPMAN, Mr. Mike Osatuyi in a statement made available to Oriental News Nigeria said that while the Association appreciated the intervention of government through the Ministry to help resolve the crises, Ngoa should not present himself as a member of the Association.
“While the intervention of the Minister of state for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu in resolving the internal crises in IPMAN is appreciated and commendable, the forefathers, Past presidents, Leaders of IPMAN and the general members of IPMAN nationwide will not allow Mr. Lawson Ngoa who is not a marketer less an IPMAN member to use IPMAN name as a shield to defend or protect a system failure of NNPC”.
It is pure defamation of IPMAN name to go on air that IPMAN has accepted the responsibility for the scarcity of Petroleum Products and that Nigerians should hold IPMAN responsible”.
Osatuyi admitted previous government intervention in its crises but without blackmail from government agencies from time of Alhaji Jarfau Paki, the then special assistant to president Olusegun Obasanjo on Petroleum Matters, Dr. Oluwole Oluleye, former executive secretary PPPRA among others.
He said IPMAN controls 80 percent of retail outlets in the country and has partnered previous governments to solve previous fuel crises without damaging the Associations name.
“It is on record that no member of IPMAN has voiced out against peace since this government stepped in to resolve IPMAN crises few days ago. That is an evidence that IPMAN and all IPMAN members want peace and are ready to embrace peace for seamless operation of the association administration and by extension the Nigeria oil sector” Osatuyi maintained.
He said IPMAN will not tolerate any agency of government that would introduce fresh crises to the association.
“Mr. Lawson Ngoa has no authority or mandate to be using IPMAN name to shield any government agencies in the Nigeria Oil Sector for any operational or administrative mismanagement” Osatuyi warned.