Follow Us on Google
…We’re sorting out pending tickets –NNPC Ltd
By Adewale Sanyaolu
Oil marketers are lamenting mounting financial losses over their inability to load petroleum products already paid for across NNPC depots.
The marketers, who spoke in separate interviews with Daily Sun on Sunday, said compounding interest on loans from banks remained a major setback for them.
Public Relations Officer of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Chukwudi Ukadike, said a reconciliation committee between NNPC and IPMAN is already in talks to address the issue of unutilised loading tickets.
According to Ukadike, beyond the issue of uncleared loading tickets lie heavy financial losses among its fold. He explained that IPMAN members who have sourced loans from banks were unable to service them due to their inability to get product supply from NNPC.
“We, the independent marketers, have been calling on NNPC to reimburse us for our money or give us products from some of our tickets that are being tied down in their system through their portal. Though they have started the reconciliation process, we hope by Monday (today), this process would be completed,” he said.
On the value of uncleared loading tickets, the IPMAN PRO said not until the ongoing reconciliation process is completed would it be possible to put a figure to it.
Also echoing similar sentiments, National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Mr. Billy Gilly-Harris, said the inability of his members to access products paid for is taking a negative toll on their businesses.
He advised that supplies should be made available as soon as payment is made in order to avoid disruptions in the supply chain.
“In PETROAN, we are at the last line and suffer the most because we are the ones in direct interface with the end users. So, any disruption in the supply chain is felt most by our members,” he said.
He added that some of his members have pending orders in the range of over 20 million litres that are yet to be supplied.
“We have sourced the majority of these funds from the banks, and repayment has become a major issue now because the products are stocked with NNPC. But, in all, we have to continue to mediate so that we remain in business,” he said.
Reacting to the claims from IPMAN and PETROAN, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Limited, Mr. Andy Odeh, in a WhatsApp response to Daily Sun’s inquiry, said NNPC Ltd, as a key supplier of petroleum products, engages with numerous marketers who make advance payments for product allocations.
However, he said, in line with global best practices, the processes of payment confirmation and product loading are continuous, and NNPC Ltd remains in active discussions with marketers who have duly completed payments to ensure seamless product loading.
“It is important to note that where payments have been made and there is a subsequent price adjustment before loading takes place, marketers are required to either pay the difference before lifting their products or, if they prefer, request a refund.
“We have already received refund requests from some marketers, which are currently being processed in line with our contractual obligations,” he stated.
