The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has called on Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra to pay N901 million owed members for the supply of diesel for powering streetlights.

Chinedu Anyaso and Emeka Iloafor, chairman and secretary of IPMAN Enugu Depot Community, made the call in a reminder letter to Mr Soludo.

The letter was entitled “Re; Request For Debt Payment of N900,664,805.00 Owed Our Members For Diesel Supplied And Services Rendered In Respect Of Street Lights”.

A copy of the letter said months after returning generators in their custody as directed as a condition for payment, the government had yet to honour its promise.

The marketers said the affected members could no longer remain in business as they were under a heavy debt burden to their banks and staff, some of whom had been laid off.

“We humbly request once more for the debt payment in respect of the above subject matter.

“Your Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs wrote to us that our members that were owed these debts were withholding government generators.

“They have since returned and reported back to his office since December 2023.

“We have not heard from him since then, and our members are seriously and heavily indebted to banks and individuals who are threatening them on a daily basis.

“Kindly intervene to save the situation as we are ready to always cooperate with your government for its success,” the letter partly read.

In September last year, IPMAN made payment of the debt owed to about 70 members who operated as contractors in the streetlight project of Anambra before the government terminated the contracts to migrate to solar-powered street lights.

Tony Ifeanya, the state Commissioner for Petroleum, said the government was handling the issue and would settle it soon.

(NAN)