The Western Zone of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) on Thursday advised the Federal Government to liberalise importation of kerosene.
Mr Olumide Ogunmade, Chairman in the Zone, said this was the only way to check marketers from converting kerosene to aviation fuel.
Ogunmade said that IPMAN was not involved in importation of aviation fuel as major marketers were those given preferential treatment of importing the product.
He said that if importation of kerosene was liberalised and all marketers were importing,? it would go along way in addressing issues of diversion.
“I think it is the Federal Government that is creating scarcity of kerosene due to the fact that it is the only agency that is importing kerosene.
“I think if marketers are allowed to import the product, issues of converting kerosene to aviation fuel by some marketers will not occur,’’ he said.
The IPMAN boss stressed that issues of diversion of kerosene to aviation fuel would not arise? if as many marketers were importing.
“As long there is scarcity, people will intend to make fast money and there is no way you can run from these issues.
Ogunmade said the Western zone of the association was planning to establish a refinery in the country if it could find technical partners.
He said that the association was working with the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) to commence importation of petroleum products into the country.
“If we have good technical partners, we can build a refinery in the country because we control the market and the business,” Ogunmade claim.
Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, Chairman of Association of Petroleum Products Marketers, last week alleged that some marketers were selling kerosene as aviation fuel.
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