Following the fuel scarcity in Akwa Ibom State with its attendant hardship, the State Governor, Umo Eno has convened a meeting with different groups within the petroleum marketing sector with a view to finding solutions to the immediate and remote causes of the problem.

The groups include the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association, IPMAN, Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association, NOGASA, and the security agencies.

DAILYPOST had reported that IPMAN ordered the suspension of operations in all the fuel outlets 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.

IPMAN secretary, 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”

He noted that the impounded trucks posed a threat to the public as the trucks containing petroleum products could go up in flames due to poor handling.

Sam Osung, chairman of NOGASA, however, 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.

However, Governor Eno, in a press release through his Chief Press Secretary, Ekerete Udoh, assured that the fuel scarcity will end very soon.

The release said the governor is currently meeting with the different groups with the view of settling their differences and restoring normalcy in the system.

“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

Gov Eno meets feuding IPMAN, NOGASA over fuel scarcity in Akwa Ibom