From Mustapha Adamu, Kano
The Kano State Consumer Protection Council (KSCPC) has called on the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) to immediately crash the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to reflect the recent decline in global oil prices.
The council also issued a stern warning against the illegal adjustment of fuel dispensing pumps, promising a aggressive crackdown on filling stations cheating unsuspecting consumers.
The resolutions were reached during a strategic stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Executive Chairman of the KSCPC, Dr. Ibrahim Garba Muhammad, and the leadership of IPMAN in Kano.
The details were made public in a statement by Jamilu Mustapha Yakasai, the Director of Public Enlightenment.
Dr. Muhammad expressed deep concern that despite a noticeable drop in international oil prices, the local cost of fuel has remained high, exacerbating the economic hardships faced by ordinary citizens.
He reminded IPMAN that the law establishing the KSCPC fully empowers the council to monitor all goods and services consumed by the public, including petroleum products.
“Protecting consumers is a shared responsibility.
“We urge IPMAN to do the needful in bringing down prices, as the current rate is telling heavily on the consumers,” Dr. Muhammad stated.
Addressing persistent consumer complaints, the KSCPC boss strongly condemned the practice of under-dispensing fuel through tampered meters, calling it an act of deliberate sabotage that adds to the suffering of buyers.
He urged IPMAN to strengthen its internal monitoring mechanisms to enforce compliance.
In his response, the Kano IPMAN Chairman, Alhaji Gana Abubakar, openly condemned meter tampering, labeling it an illegal action and a form of gross injustice against consumers.
He pledged the association’s maximum cooperation with the government to eradicate the practice.
IPMAN while explaining the delay in cutting local pump prices, Alhaji Abubakar revealed that many marketers are still stuck with old stock.
Old Inventories: Marketers purchased their current product at much higher costs before the global market decline.
The IPMAN Chairman assured consumers that “noticeable price adjustments would be made as soon as new supplies purchased at the lower rates become available.”
Both the KSCPC and IPMAN concluded the meeting by agreeing to set up a joint collaborative framework to regularly inspect filling stations, check liter accuracy, and restore consumer confidence in the state’s downstream petroleum sector.
