The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), has called on Nigerians to prepare for fuel scarcity if the federal government do not prevails on the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, (NMDPRA) to pay its members their outstanding bridging claims amounting to over N500 billion.

The IPMAN Chairman, Kano State Chapter, Bashir Danmalam, made the remark while addressing a news conference in Kano, yesterday.

He said the failure of the NMDPRA to pay the bridging claims otherwise known as transportation claim had forced many of its members out of business as they couldn't transport the commodity due to high cost of diesel.

He lamented that non-payment of the claims by the NMDPRA for over eight months had crippled the business of many of their members.

"NMDPRA is responsible for the payment of bridging claims otherwise known as transportation claims

"Failure of the NMDPRA to pay the outstanding claims for about nine months, many marketers cannot transport the product because their funds are not being paid. Despite the high price of diesel, they manage to supply the petroleum products nationwide.

"The resurfacing of fuel queues in Abuja is just a tip of the iceberg with regard to the petroleum scarcity.

"Out of 100 per cent, only five per cent of the marketers can supply the petroleum products because of the failure of NMDPRA to pay them," he added.

He noted that since after the creation of the NMDPRA, the, "agency had paid us only two times."

Danmalam, therefore, called on the federal government to intervene before the situation degenerated into a serious fuel crisis and spread to other parts of the country.

He said Nigerians should not blame their members for the fuel scarcity but rather should blame NMDPRA.

"We are not agitating for a transportation fee increase, we are only clamoring for payment of our bridging claims that is over N500 billion," he added.