The Anambra government has invited the leadership of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) for a meeting over the claim of over N900 million debt to contractors who supplied diesel to the state.

TonyCollins Nwabunwanne, commissioner for local government, chieftaincy and community affairs, disclosed this on Thursday while reacting to IPMAN’s letter of appeal.

IPMAN had in the letter asked Governor Charles Soludo to pay the contractors (members of the association) to the Anambra government for the diesel they supplied to power streetlight generators in March and April 2022.

IPMAN said the debt amounted to N900,664,805.

Mr Nwabunwanne told journalists that the government had taken notice of their complaint and would do everything to protect their businesses.

He, however, blamed the delay on discrepancies in the claims of the contractors.

The commissioner said his office would meet with the IPMAN leadership, the umbrella body of the marketers, to reconcile the figures for settlement.

”I have invited the leadership of IPMAN for a meeting early next week for discussion, it is clear that they do not have the correct information on our dealings with the contractors, there are discrepancies. So, the meeting will enable us to reconcile these discrepancies and progress to the next step,” stated the commissioner.

He added, “The Governor Chukwuma Soludo administration is a business friendly one and will do all that is possible to support and help them stay in business.”

(NAN)