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New Petrol Price Yet To Take Off In Calabar

By Anietie Akpan, Calabar
23 January 2015   |   11:00 pm
DESPITE the reduction in the pump price of petroleum products, major and independent marketers in Cross River State are still selling fuel at the rate of N97 per litre.   As at yesterday, only the NNPC mega station and Oando had reduced their pump price from N97 to N87 per litre, as directed by the…

DESPITE the reduction in the pump price of petroleum products, major and independent marketers in Cross River State are still selling fuel at the rate of N97 per litre.

  As at yesterday, only the NNPC mega station and Oando had reduced their pump price from N97 to N87 per litre, as directed by the Federal Government.

  However, motorists who are excited with the new price regime are not happy with the attitude of the independent and major marketers who are still selling at the old rate.

  A motorist, Mr. Nelson Inyang, said: “What the marketers are doing is not fair. If the price was reviewed upward, certainly these marketers will comply immediately.

  “The problem with us Nigerians is that we always like extorting and maximising profit at all cost. The argument they are making is that they cannot sell the old stock at the new rate; otherwise they will be selling at loss. But at the same time they forget that severally in this country, pump price has always been on the increase and marketers took advantage of it.

  “What I expect the Federal Government to do is to ensure that the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and other relevant agencies monitor the marketers and ensure compliance.”

  A survey at the popular Watt market revealed that the drop in pump price has not significantly affected the prices of goods in the market as expected since petroleum dealers have not complied, transporters too could not comply.

  A bus driver Papa Edet who plies Calabar Akamkpa, said, “We cannot reduce transport fare because we are still buying at old rate and cost of spare parts have not been reduced.

  “What we want is for the filling station people to comply and the government should work towards creating a policy were spare parts come into the country at a cheaper rate through reduction in custom duties or in the alternative we should encourage assembly plants in Nigeria to manufacture cars and spare parts here.”

  The State Chairman of the Independent Marketers of Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Mr. Effiong Udo while reacting to the price cut in a telephone chat with some newsmen said his members could not just start selling at N87 when they bought at the old rate.

  He said certainly his members would be selling at a loss if they sell at N87 and wondered what will happen to the difference, as the federal government is not paying them subsidy.

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