Commercial activities in Anambra came to a standstill on Wednesday following a shutdown of petroleum outlets by independent marketers across the state.

It was gathered that the closure of the outlets was to ensure full attendance of members to an all-important meeting between the leadership of the state’s Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and members of the Petroleum Dealers Association of Nigeria.

The development left motorists who hoped to buy fuel in the morning stranded while those who sought the product through the black market purchased a litre of petrol for as high as N700.

Speaking after the meeting, Chinedu Anyaso, chairman of IPMAN, Enugu Depot in charge of Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu states, said they were worried about their members whose outlets were earmarked for demolition by the Anambra government.

About 13 functional filling stations in the Ekwulobia area had been earmarked for demolition by the state government to make way for a flyover project.

Mr Anyaso said IPMAN was appealing to Governor Chukwuma Soludo to make adequate compensation for the owners of the outlets and ensure that their families and businesses do not go into misery and extinction.

The chairman said they had sought an audience with the governor for a dialogue on the matter but expressed regret that the association had not received a response.

“We are worried about the suffering of our members who will be displaced by the flyover project at Ekwulobia, there is no form of resettlement plan for them, so we are calling for adequate compensation,” he said.

Mr Anyaso charged members to continue to live up to their civic responsibility by paying the mutually-agreed consolidated yearly rate of N120,000 promptly, urging the Anambra government to call community groups and others who come to it for any other form of payment to order.

Also speaking, Linus Mgbakogu, the representative of the South-East national leadership of IPMAN, said the Anambra government should embrace dialogue on possible ways of addressing the plights of victims.

Mr Mgbakogu said IPMAN would act in solidarity with their members to ensure the development project did not bring unbearable suffering to them.

The marketers thereafter directed members to open their business stations while awaiting the government’s response.

Meanwhile, the Anambra government said it was aware of the complaints of IPMAN about how the project will affect people but noted that the demolition was not targeted only at the marketers but all those whose property situate on the corridor.

Tony Ifeanya, Commissioner for Petroleum, said the action aligned with the Land Use Act, which provides compulsory land acquisition for overriding public interest.

He, however, assured that the government of Mr  Soludo was not oblivious to the fact that there should be a compensation plan for all those displaced as a result of the project. 

(NAN)