Fides Media Living the Faith
Desirous to ameliorate the hardship suffered by the people of the state over the hike in the cost of petrol, the Anambra State Government through the Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Barrister Anthony Ikechukwu Ifeanya, has met with Petroleum Dealers Association of Nigeria (PEDAN) Anambra State, to deliberate on the continuous increase and uneven Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) prices in the state against the agreed price of ₦280, the association had with the state government.
The Commissioner, while reading the letter sent to him by Civil Rights Activists on the issue of fuel hike in the state, told the dealers that hike in PMS had led to fare increase by transporters, affecting commuters’ daily activities.
The Vice Chairman, PEDAN, Anambra State, Mr. Emmanuel Ekwue, explained that the price issues were because dealers were unable to obtain the products, adding that some of the dealers were yet to receive products they ordered since November, 2022.
He said that obtaining the products when they were finally available would also mean making extra payments to match the current prices of PMS per litre, even as he called on government to offer reliefs to the dealers, especially as they went beyond Enugu depot originally designated to them to source for fuel as the depot was no longer functional.
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association, IPMAN, representative, Mr. Chibueze Umeugochukwu, said that dealers currently sold PMS in line with prices they obtained the products from other depots in the country.
Mr. Umeugochukwu therefore pleaded with the Federal Government to fix the refineries in the country as the cost and time expended in taking petroleum outside the country for refining caused the unavailability of PMS in the country, as well as the hike in price by dealers once there was fuel scarcity.
Fides recalls that since the yuletide, PMS has been selling for between ₦300 – ₦400 in Anambra State.
The Commissioner went further to express his disappointment on the poor response of the N120, 000 yearly due to be paid by petroleum dealers, adding that not up to one quarter of the fuel stations in the state had paid and urged them to make use of their conscience while fixing the PMS prices and not to be concerned only about making profit.