TheCable

The Anambra government has summoned the leadership of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) over a debt of N900 million owed to contractors who supplied diesel.

According to NAN, Tony-Collins Nwabunwanne, commissioner for local government, chieftaincy, and community affairs spoke to journalists in Awka on Thursday, while reacting to the association’s letter of appeal.

IPMAN had reportedly written to Chukwuma Soludo, governor of Anambra, asking him to pay for the diesel they supplied to power streetlight generators in March and April 2022, adding that it was causing financial hardship for its members.

IPMAN said the debt was to the tune of  N900,664,805.

Providing updates, Nwabunwanne said the government had taken notice of their complaint and would do everything to protect their businesses.

He, however, blamed the delay on discrepancies in the claims of the contractors.

The commissioner said the meeting between the government and IPMAN is scheduled to take place on Monday, September 19.

“I have invited the leadership of IPMAN for a meeting early next week for discussion,” he said.

“It is clear that they do not have the correct information on our dealings with the contractors, there are discrepancies. 

“So, the meeting will enable us to reconcile these discrepancies and progress to the next step.”

Nwabunwanne said the government was committed to supporting the petroleum marketing industry and would do everything possible to help contractors stay in business.

The Soludo’s administration is a business-friendly one, assuring that it would do all that is possible to support and help IPMAN stay in business.