ABUJA— THE Senator Ibrahim Mantu led-Independent Committee on monitoring the effect of the recent increases in petroleum product prices has expressed dismay over the refusal of petroleum product marketers to abide by the agreement reducing product prices.
Briefing newsmen at the end of a meeting yesterday, the Committee chairman, Senator Mantu lamented the committee’s incapacity to bring further succour to the populace, saying that his committee’s responsibility ended with negotiation for a lower fuel price.
Mantu, also Deputy Senate President expressed regrets on the decision of the Northern section of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) to proceed on strike over the removal of the N1 per litre bridging cost. Expressing regrets over the failure of the marketers to reduce their prices, Senator Mantu said:
"I am surprised that virtually none of the filling stations, even including the major marketers complied with the pump price agreed upon. When we said that base line was N49, we were made to understand that there may be a difference between that amount of money and what could be sold in Abuja because N49 was the price in Lagos."
"I asked the appropriate body on what could be the pump price in Abuja, they said N51, but when we went round, there was no single station that we met selling at N51 per litre. Indeed, the least was N52.80 and that is Mobil. Total (whose managing director represents major marketers on this committee), their stations are selling for N55 per litre. But generally in Abuja, the price per litre is N53."
On the committee’s limitations, Senator Mantu said: "This Committee’s responsibility begins and ends with trying to get a good price that can be affordable by the ordinary people of Nigeria. It is not our duty to enforce compliance with what we have agreed with government. The more you look, the less you see about this business."
He, however, expressed determination to press the Department of Petroleum Resources for answers on why the agency was yet to act against the marketers.
"We will like to know from DPR why they have not imposed sanctions on those stations that have not complied with the agreed prices."
Senator Mantu also expressed regrets on the decision of the Northern section of IPMAN to proceed on strike on account of the N1 per litre hitherto used in bridging cost between Northern and Southern states. He said the Committee had entered into negotiations with the group towards resolving the dispute amicably.
![[Image]](http://news.biafranigeriaworld.com/..\..\..\images\vlogo.gif){kind=small}
