By Kazeem Ayodeji

Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, in Ekiti state have assured the state government that all filling stations in the state will open and start selling fuel at reasonable prices to the people.

They gave the assurance in Ado Ekiti a during meeting with Governor Biodun Oyebanji, following sudden hoarding and hike in the price of fuel by filling stations.

The spokesperson for IPMAN in Ekiti state, Mr Adeyinka Shodowo said executive members of the association and that of other related bodies would embark on a tour of filling stations to ensure that anyone that has more than 3000 litres in their storage tanks was dispensing fuel to the people.

Acknowledging that removal of subsidy is in the best interest of the country, Mr Shodowo explained that they would not allow any station to sell above 250 per litre so as not to inflict unnecessary hardship on the people.

Responding, governor Biodun Oyebanji frowned at the marketers for trying to sell their old product at new price rate for people when the government had not increased the official pump price of the product, Saying what they bought is what they should sell to the people.

He expressed displeasure that the artificial fuel scarcity they created had negatively impacted on the people of the state.

Mr Oyebanji consequently ordered the state petroleum task force to shut down any filling station that refused to dispense, adding that defaulting filling stations will remain shut till the end of this year.

The meeting had in attendance, the state’s executive members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN,  Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers NUPENG, Ekiti State Special Petroleum Intervention Taskforce among others.

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