By TITUS ELEWEKE, Awka

Independent Petroleum Marketers of Nigeria (IPMAN) in Anambra State will on August 25, shut down operations the state in solidarity with a marketer owed N13.6 million by the state government.

Siluch Oil and Gas Limited, an IPMAN member, supplied fuel to the Transport Company of Anambra State (TRACAS) and is being owed N13.6m since 2017.

IPMAN had on August 4, issued a 21-day ultimatum to the state government, to pay off the debt, and also address other issues raised by the association.

Speaking to journalists on Sunday in Awka, Chinedu Anayaso, Chairman of IPMAN, Enugu Depot, said that the shutdown would be total until all conditions were met.

The association is also against all tax and levy increase by the government, insisting the economy does not support additional burden on businesses.

“We are counting days, we have not seen anything that shows that the state government is treating our letter to it with the seriousness it deserves.

“We expect that they pay the young man his money, withdraw all cases against our members for refusing to pay the levies we did not agree on, and revert to the annual unified levy we reached an agreement on,” he said.

IPMAN, NUPENG and Petrol Tanker Drivers are part of the shutdown and violators will pay a N500, 000 fine.

Fuel designated for Anambra will not be loaded, and states like Enugu and Ebonyi in the zone will be affected.

Uche Okoye, managing director of Siluch, said his company had “smooth business relationship” with TRACAS until the second-term campaign of Willie Obiano, when they could not pay for four months.

Okoye said he had written and visited TRACAS and the transport ministry several times over the debt, but regretted that they had refused to pay him.

“The debt is seriously affecting me because it is a loan I obtained from bank,” he said.

“I have more than 30 workers, and things are getting more difficult by the day due to TRACAS’ indebtedness to my company.

“Initially, I had no plans of laying off workers even with the current economic hardship in the country, but as it is, I am somehow working on a very tight rope,” he said.

Edith Madukasi, the Managing Director of TRACAS, told journalists that she was informed on assumption of duties in the company that Siluch was owed some money by the company.

“I cannot speak on the matter; it is my commissioner that will speak on that,” Madukasi said.

Afam Mbanefo, Commissioner for Transport in Anambra, said he had been briefed on the debt and that he was already working on it.

“I have looked at the transactions of this office since I assumed office and this debt amounting to N13.57 million was presented, and IPMAN leadership had also visited me on the same matter.

“I did a review with TRACAS and requested for a lot more information about the procurement procedures and gathered enough relevant documents and have gone ahead to raise a memo to the governor.

“I understand that the particular marketer is still doing business with the state government to keep his business running while we resolve the issue.

“My initial question was how on earth was he supplying diesel to the level that it got to that amount, and he did not question how he would be paid.

“I sent the memo mid-July, and I am sure it will be under review by now,” he said.

Mbanefo said his ministry was talking with IPMAN to ensure that there was no breakdown of their services. (Daily Trust)

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