The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (formerly Consumer Protection Council) says an arrangement has been put in place to ensure that retailers compensate motorists whose vehicles were damaged by adulterated fuel supplied by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company.The Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Babatunde Irukera, said this during a chat with The PUNCH on Thursday.
Irukera stated, “The FCCPC has been engaging with respect to the issues arising from irregular fuel sold in parts of the country.
“Current engagement shows that key relevant stakeholders have arranged for retailers to accept responsibility for repair and restoration of damaged vehicles/equipment. The respective legal departments are working to establish a framework that does not address injury that falls within the category stated above.”
“We will be sending complaints to the commission on Friday,” he stated.
However, the Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Mike Osatuyi, said claims would be forwarded to the NNPC.
Osatuyi told Arise Television that some customers, whose vehicles were damaged by the adulterated fuel, attacked filling station attendants.
“We got attacked from some customers because they believe that we are into sharp practices and when they buy fuel and their vehicle gets spoilt, then they ask us to repair their vehicle. I am sure you will see videos on social media of customers parking their cars at filling stations because their cars broke down after buying fuel,” he stated.
When asked how they would receive compensation from the NNPC for distributing bad petrol, Osatuyi said, “We have told our members to identify those affected, which stations, which companies so that we can pass the information to the government. And since we are not responsible for importation, then there must be restitution. And the government must come in to mitigate the damage done to individuals’ vehicles.”
On whether IPMAN would be suing the government and the NNPC, Osatuyi said that was not an option for now because the association was still having talks with the oil company.
He, however, said if it does not get a favourable response from the NNPC, the marketers would seek redress.
Osatuyi added, “We are not going to sue the government but we are going to collect data of affected stations and what it cost us and pass it to the authority so that we don’t have problems. This has happened and they are trying to mitigate the problem.”
