It is expected that the on-going fuel scarcity might be deepened as the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) has threatened to shut down should federal government fail to settle a N650billion debt allegedly owed its members.
The Executive Secretary of the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), Olufemi Adewole, in a statement on Tuesday said failure to meet the deadline will force its members to disengage their workers.
“The unfortunate primary fallout of this step is the likely shut down of all DAPPMAN depots nationwide due to lack of manpower to operate same pending the time the federal government will pay off its indebtedness to petroleum marketers. This unfortunately will have a multiplier effect on the nationwide supply and distribution of petroleum products which presently is still a struggle,” he said.
“We are continually under pressure from our banks/AMCON, with looming threats of imminent take-over of our petrol stations and tank farms.
“In the light of the above and after exhausting all formal avenues to secure payment of these debts, we have given government notice to the likelihood of disengaging our personnel.
“The unfortunate primary fallout of this step is the likely shut down of all DAPPMAN depots nationwide due to lack of manpower to operate same pending the time the government will pay off its indebtedness to petroleum marketers.
“This unfortunately will have a multiplier effect on the nationwide supply and distribution of petroleum products which presently is still a struggle,” he added.