The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has warned that the newly introduced N12,500 electronic call-up parking fee imposed by the Lagos State Government on petrol trucks could lead to increase in petroleum products pump prices across the state.
The IPMAN’s National Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Ukadike, who gave the warning during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos, appealed to the government to revert the fee to N2,500, describing the current charge as exorbitant and unsustainable for petroleum marketers and transporters.
The IPMAN leaders maintained that the rising logistics costs would inevitably be passed on to consumers, possibly triggering a fuel price hike and destabilising supply across the state.
The NAN reported: “The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has urged the Lagos State government to reduce the electronic call-up parking fee from N12,500 to N2,500.
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“Mr Chinedu Ukadike, IPMAN’s National Publicity Secretary, made this appeal during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.
“The imposed amount is exorbitant and unbearable for marketers. It will inevitably lead to an increase in the pump price of petrol”, it added.
The report further noted that the recent adjustment in the call-up fee, being managed through the Electronic Call-up Systems Company, had already caused disruption, as truck drivers suspended operations on Monday in protest.
According to reports, the suspension of the petrol tankers operations reportedly affected fuel deliveries from major facilities, including the Dangote Refinery and Lekki Deep Seaport.
Ukadike was quoted as recalling that that stakeholders, including truck operators and marketers, had agreed at a recent meeting that the fee should be returned to N2,500 to maintain industry stability.
The NAN also quoted the National President of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Alhaji Yusuf Othman, as confirming that loading activities at Lekki Port and the Dangote Refinery had been suspended to protest the hike in the E-call up fee.
While maintaining that the association supports the electronic call-up system, the NARTO chief complained that the N12,500 fee was too high and unsustainable.
Othman confirmed, however, that discussions with Lagos State Government officials were ongoing to resolve the dispute and enable the petrol tanker drivers resume loading of products from the refineries.
