RESIDENTS IN IMO GET RELIEF AS ROCHAS MOVES TO END FUEL SCARCITY

Following the recent scarcity of petroleum products and the hardship which the situation has caused the people of Imo state, the Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha on Tuesday January 12, 2016 had a crucial meeting with the members of the state branch of Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria.

The essence of the meeting which took place at the Government House, Owerri was to find ways of dealing with the situation at the moment so that the marketers who have the products could begin to sell at the approved prices to the people of the state and to deal with the worrying issue of scarcity.

The governor who was visibly worried told the marketers that his government would not afford to watch the marketers create artificial scarcity of the products or sell above the government’s approved pump prices.

He advised them to be humane and considerate and assured them that he would intervene to ensure that the filling stations sealed by DPR are opened without further delay so as to do away with the effects of the scarcity of the petroleum products in the state at the moment.

Also at the meeting, the governor made some contacts that would see petroleum products being supplied to the Imo marketers without delay so that the products can be available for Imo people to buy at the approved prices. He also cautioned the marketers against sharp practices once the products begin to arrive.

The governor equally told the leadership of the Marketers Association and government officials handling petroleum related matters in the state to monitor petroleum products loaded to be sold in the state to ensure that such products would not be diverted. He also assured that similar meetings would continue to take place so as to nip in the bud any situation that would cause scarcity and price hike of petroleum products in the state in future.

He regretted the inconveniences the current situation must have caused the people of the state and appealed to them to remain calm. According to him, the efforts which the state government has made will ensure that the issue of scarcity of petroleum products in the state would be a thing of the past.

Speaking earlier on behalf of other marketers during the meeting, the Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, (IPMAN), Mr. Christopher Amadi explained that the marketers in the state do not get their allocations from direct sources but always buy from the ‘third parties’. He also told the governor about some of the filling stations sealed by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).

Also present at the meeting is the Chief Of Staff, Government House, Chief Uche Nwosu and a host of others.