The House of Representatives on Wednesday move to address incidences of discriminatory prices of premium motor spirit by the Petroleum Products Marketing Company Limited, (PPMC) and the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, (PPPRA).
The House frowned at the two bodies selling Premium Motor Spirit otherwise known as petrol at two different prices to Major marketers and Independent Marketers even though they are both expected to sell at the same price to consumers.
The resolve of the House followed sponsored by the duo of Hon. Odebunmi Olusegu Dokun and Hon. Abubakar Hassan Fulata asking the House to check the practice which they said was unfair to the Independent Marketers who has to pay more to get the product.
They accused the petroleum regulatory agencies who are subsidiaries of the Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation, (NNPC) of supplying products at different prices between the major marketers and independent marketers, calling on the House to investigate the matter.
The motion was titled “Need to Check the Discriminatory Practices of the Petroleum Products Marketing Company Limited and the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency against the Independent Petroleum Marketers on the Sale of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS)”.
The motion said; “The House notes that the Petroleum Products Marketing Company Limited is a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation saddled with the responsibility of coordinating the distribution of petroleum products in the downstream sector of Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry.
“Also notes that the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPRA) is also a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation saddled with the responsibility of fixing prices for petroleum products in Nigeria.
“Aware that there are two blocks of marketers in the downstream sector of the nation’s petroleum industry, namely the Major Marketers and the Independent Marketers.
“Disturbed that the Petroleum Products Marketing Company Limited, being the coordinator of petroleum products distribution in the downstream sector, is selling the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to the two blocks at different prices, selling the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to Major Marketers at N125.65k per litre and selling to the Independent Marketers at N133.28 per litre.
“Concerned that since members of the two blocks are selling the products to retailers in the same market, the discriminatory prices have been affecting the participatory capacity of the Independent Marketers in the market as well as impoverishing them against their counterparts in the sector.
“Desirous of the need to check the discriminatory practices of the Petroleum Products Marketing Company Limited in order to give all concerned marketers a sense of belonging.”
After contribution from members on the need to address the disparity, the House mandated its Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) to investigate the matter with a view to ensuring a uniform pricing regime for all concerned marketers and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.