By Nelson Utip
Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom state has convened a meeting of stakeholders in the petroleum marketing sector to settle resolve the issues surrounding the current fuel scarcity in the state which is causing hardship to the Indigenes, groups in the meeting includes The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association IPMAN, and Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association NOGASA and security agencies operating in the state.
IPMAN had ordered the suspension of operations in all the fuel stations in the state after stakeholders meeting over alleged infractions into their businesses by Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association, NOGASA, where members’ products were reportedly impounded on the road and extorted.
The Secretary of IPMAN in the state, Ekom Udeme Udoh said, “five of our tankers with petroleum products worth millions of naira have been impounded by NOGASA and all efforts to secure the release of the trucks have failed” noting that the impounded trucks posed a hazardous threat to the public since the trucks containing petroleum products could go up in flames due to poor handling.
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In his response, Sam Osung, Chairman of NOGASA in the state denied extorting money from IPMAN and impounding their trucks adding that all tankers do not belong to IPMAN as other major marketers do own trucks as well.
Governor Eno through a Press Release by his Chief Press Secretary, Ekerete Udoh has assured indigenes of the state that the fuel scarcity will soon end.
“In response to the fuel scarcity which began this morning arising from a misunderstanding between the product marketers and some security agencies, the Akwa Ibom State Governor, His Excellency, Pastor Umo Eno is currently meeting with different groups within the petroleum marketing sector with a view to finding solutions to the immediate and remote causes of this problem.
“The public is assured that normalcy will return as soon as possible.” The Release read
