IPMAN Cripples Anambra, Shuts Petrol Stations

Members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Enugu Depot yesterday crippled Anambra State by shutting down their filling stations across in the state.

It was gathered that the three states in the zone, including Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi, were also crippled.

It was gathered that the strike was a warning over alleged attempts by some group to forcefully change its leadership.

In Awka, only the NNPC mega station at Amawbia in the capital city was however open for business and was selling products to customers who waited in a long queue to buy the product.

A commercial motorist, Nnamdi Offor, said he was caught up in the industrial action by petrol dealers and was unable to go to work.

Offor, who resorted to buying from the black market, said: "I closed late from work yesterday and hoped to buy petrol this morning only to discover that all filling stations in Awka were closed. For me to go to work, I have to patronise the black market in order to go to work today."

The chairman of Petrol Dealers Association of Nigeria (PEDAN), Chief Cletus Obijiofor, said the action was in compliance with the order of national leadership of IPMAN.

Obijiofor said the total shutdown would persist until there was counter directive to members.

"We were directed to close our outlets over a crisis at our Enugu Depot office, the compliance will be total until we get further directive," he said.

Peter Nwosu, SSA on Petroleum and Union Matters to Governor Willie Obiano, while reacting to the incident, called on the people not to panic over the closure of petrol stations.

He said: "The closure is as a result of a leadership crisis in  independent petroleum marketers (IPMAN) Enugu depot. I am in Enugu in a meeting with the concerned stakeholders to see to the end of the impasse as it affects Anambra State.