By Tony Adibe
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Enugu State branch has appealed to the Federal Government to quickly restore the Enugu Depot, which has been lying comatose for about 25 years. Their appeal came as citizens continue to suffer from the harsh effects of fuel scarcity and the attendant price increase.
Chairman of IPMAN, Chief Chinedu Anyaso, made the appeal in Enugu Wednesday evening at a press briefing organised by the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) Enugu State Chapter on the challenges Nigerians face on account of the scarcity of the newly redesigned Naira notes and the galloping petroleum products prices.
Represented on the occasion by the Secretary, Iloafor Nnaemeka, Chief Anyaso bemoaned the fact that due to the closure of Enugu Depot, it has been an uphill task for IPMAN members to lift fuel for the Southeast Zone as they either get supplies from Port Harcourt, Warri or Lagos at very high cost and risks.
He said that if the Depot resumed operation, supplies would flow, and they would be able to sell at government regulated pump price. He absolved IPMAN from the fuel scarcity and the hike in price, adding that the cause is man-made.
“The problem is man-made. We have a Depot in Enugu and for twenty-five years, government has not done anything about it,” he said lamenting that the Federal Government would not even support the modular refinery so that the products would be available and affordable.
He said: “The Federal Government has refused to support the modular refinery to have enough supply. Nobody derives joy in the suffering and hardship of the people. Our trucks suffer in transit which often entails trucks falling or catching fire.” He advised the Federal Government to do something to reduce the suffering of Nigerians.
The chairman of the Enugu State chapter of the NYCN, Comrade Atigwe Henry, while addressing the media, expressed concern about the biting difficulties created by the lack of cash for citizens to carry out their daily transactions as well as the high price of petroleum products.
Speaking on the street protests nationwide being embarked upon by angry youths over the ungodly suffering, Atigwe said: “However, for us , the youth of Enugu State, we cannot afford to do a street protest due to the current security challenges in Enugu State, Southeast and Nigeria at large, for we do not want hoodlums to highjack the process and start destroying people’s property just like that of the #ENDSARS”.
Atigwe called on the federal government and banks in the state to make quickly ensure citizens have access to their monies to enable them carry out their daily transactions. “We are doing media protest to warn that the government should not take us for granted”, he said.
The youth leader, who called on the youths of the state to remain peaceful and shun any temptation that might push them to street protest, used the opportunity to call on the security operatives in the state to be on the guard and watch out for those who might use the period to cause trouble in the state in disguise of the protest.
Atigwe explained that they embarked on the media protest instead of the street protests to prevent a possible uprising that could follow and called on IPMAN members to comply with the government approved pump price. To also avoid a possible breakdown of law and order in Enugu State, Atigwe called on bank managers to sit up.
He said: “We further call on all the Bank managers of all Bank branches in Enugu State to work hard in hand with the CBN to ensure that all ATM Machines in their Banks are functioning and also that they have improved Internet Network for the Banking services to ease the pain and suffering of the masses.”
