The Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA) appealed to Nigerians to prevail on the Federal Government to end the on-going fuel scarcity by settling its subsidy claim.

Mr Adewole Olufemi, Secretary of the association, made the appeal in an interview he granted the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday.

A Queue to buy scarce petrol

“It is not deliberate on our part. Our depots are empty; there is nothing to sell.

“We have told the government to pay us our money so that we can start importing petrol because our foreign businessmen have declined to sell to us on credit.

“The way forward is for Nigerians to prevail on the government to pay our subsidy claim because we do not have money to import petroleum products,” Olufemi said.

On the issue of tanker drivers, he said the drivers stayed away from the depots because there was no petrol to lift.

He added that oil marketers were willing to import immediately they were paid the subsidy claim.

NAN reports that petroleum products became scare in Lagos about a month ago following the disagreement between the Federal
Government and oil marketers over N200 billion subsidy claim.

While oil marketers claimed the Federal Government owed them N200 billion, the Federal Government said the amount is N131 billion.

The disagreement degenerated into non-importation of petroleum products by marketers and the consequent scarcity of the products.