The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Enugu Depot Community, has established a taskforce to ensure its members adhere to all approval processes and regulations. This decision was made during an emergency annual general meeting with members of the Petroleum Dealers Association of Nigeria and a representative from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). The meeting aimed to promote compliance with guidelines on dispensing and approval.
IPMAN Enugu Depot issued a communiqué, signed by Chairman Chinedu Anyaso and Secretary Nnaemeka Iloafor, emphasizing the need for full compliance with under-dispensing and meterage guidelines. This move aligns with NMDPRA's directive to retail outlet operators to calibrate and verify all dispensers and totalizers. The goal is to safeguard consumers' interests by ensuring accurate measurement and guaranteeing that they receive the full value of the products they pay for.
The taskforce will ensure that members comply with established tolerance limits in terms of measurement and license renewal. Offenders for under-dispensing will face a penalty of N250,000 for the first instance, while repeated defaulters risk having their facilities sealed and licenses revoked for three to six months. IPMAN, however, has appealed to NMDPRA to grant its members a moratorium to obtain their licenses, especially for those who have yet to do so.
IPMAN and PEDAN have assumed NMDPRA's role in promoting and maintaining a cordial working relationship for the progress of the industry and serving the public in the best possible way. The associations have urged members not to surcharge the public during sales. Stations that fail to renew their licenses will be penalized, and their facilities sealed. Those who commence renewal after the 90-day grace window will be subject to a late entry penalty of N100,000.
IPMAN attributed the delay in obtaining tax clearance, a requirement for obtaining and renewing licenses, to relevant authorities. The association pleaded with NMDPRA to liaise with these authorities to ease the impediment. It also warned marketers that tampering with the seal, by covering, removing, or selling from the pump, is a grave offense that attracts a fine.
The body urged members to report cases of underloading at depots to the petroleum tanker drivers' union rather than incur fines by tampering with the meterage guidelines. IPMAN lamented the increasing purchasing power, accidental loss, volatility of petroleum products, and technical errors from dispensing pumps. However, it urged members to ensure a tolerance limit of 10.3 or 20.6 for every 10L and 20L, respectively.
IPMAN advised stations that are leased to write to NMDPRA to reach a fair negotiation with the landlord regarding renewal terms. Stations that abandon their renewal process without uploading requisite documents will be recorded as non-compliant and penalized. The association emphasized the importance of adhering to regulations to maintain a cordial working relationship with NMDPRA and ensure the progress of the industry.
Key points
- IPMAN Enugu Depot sets up taskforce to ensure compliance with NMDPRA regulations
- Members face penalties for under-dispensing and non-compliance with license renewal
- IPMAN appeals for moratorium on license acquisition for its members
