The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Anambra State chapter has directed its members to embark on total shutdown of its services if the business environment fails to improve after 21 working days from Wednesday.
In a well attended meeting in Awka on Wednesday, the members regretted the harsh business environment where the amount of levy to be paid by individuals is indeterminate and various local governments charge fees as they deem fit.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, the chairman of the association Mr. Chinedu Anyaso said his members are saddled with multifaceted issues of levies and non settlement of bills on diesel supplied to Anambra state government to run street lights for the past three years.
On the levy imposed on members, Anyaso said that last year, filling stations paid N120,000 through the Inland Revenue Service.
But this year, he continued, the task was taken away from the Inland Revenue Service and handed over to the local governments.
However, the local governments impose different levies on filling stations ranging from N500,000 to anything.
To make the matter worse, he said “all efforts to reach the local governments proved abortive. Now they go about molesting our men . So, we now tell the state government that after 21 days we will shut down our services. We are calling regulators of the petroleum industry to order.
“We are not having any problems with the state government, but we are calling on the state government to order”, Anyaso said.
“Our rights will not be trampled upon; we should not be molested. Instead, let us stay around table and with that we should not be molested by the state government”.
Anyaso said they must agree on a figure as levy to guide members.
Also speaking the special adviser to the national chairman of IPMAN on Pipeline and Adultration in Enugu, Anambra and Enugu, Chief Linus Mgbakogu described Anambra business environment as very hostile.
He said his members would have taken a decision that will not urgur well for Anambra citizens but due to intervention of Internal Revenue Service men, he said #
