IPMAN Raises Alarm Over Alleged Illegal Levies, Taxes in Anambra, Threatens Shutdown

By Our Reporter

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has accused some government agents in Anambra State of subjecting petroleum marketers to alleged illegal levies, taxes and repeated harassment, warning that operators may be forced to suspend business if the situation persists.

The association made the disclosure at its Annual General Meeting held in Awka on Wednesday, where it appealed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo to intervene and protect petroleum marketers from what it described as excessive and questionable revenue demands.

Speaking at the meeting, Chairman of IPMAN, Enugu Depot Community, covering Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi states, Mr Chinedu Anyaso, commended Governor Soludo for approving a harmonised annual levy for petroleum outlets but expressed concern that marketers were still receiving demand notices for charges they considered unlawful.

Anyaso said marketers in Anambra were already paying more than their counterparts in some other states within the zone, yet government officials and agents allegedly continued to introduce additional charges.

“We agreed on N145,000 per year for every outlet, covering property tax, business premises, local government council and signage. But we are still getting illegal demand notices from agents under this government,” Anyaso said.

He noted that marketers in Enugu reportedly pay between N70,000 and N80,000 annually in rural areas and about N120,000 in city centres, compared with the flat N145,000 approved for outlets in Anambra.

According to him, the involvement of local government authorities and revenue consultants in the regulation and collection of charges from filling stations had created additional difficulties for operators.

“Local government authority does not have business with filling stations, but here in Anambra, our members are being dragged to court every day because a lot of revenue windows have been given to consultants who know nothing about the petroleum sector,” he alleged.

Anyaso also accused the Ministry of Petroleum Resources of introducing additional charges, including what he described as a renewal charge on petroleum tax, despite the marketers’ position that petroleum operations are regulated under the Federal Government’s exclusive legislative jurisdiction.

“The ministry is introducing more charges, including renewal of petroleum tax, apart from what we pay to the Federal Government, even though our operations fall under the exclusive list,” he said.

He further expressed disappointment that representatives of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources failed to attend the meeting despite being formally invited to engage directly with the marketers.

‘Anambra Becoming a Problem State’

Also speaking, the Southeast Zonal Vice President of IPMAN, Chief Ikechukwu Nwankwo, described Anambra as increasingly becoming a “problem state” for the association, alleging that many of the challenges confronting its members were coming from the state.

Nwankwo said the rising cost of petroleum products had made the business increasingly difficult and less profitable, urging the state government to support marketers rather than burden them with additional charges.

“We cannot continue to suffer this way. The petroleum products business is no longer what it used to be,” he said.

According to him, marketers now require significantly more capital to purchase the same volume of products while operating on considerably smaller profit margins.

“We used to lament when we were buying products for as long as N10 million, but now we hardly buy the same quantity with N50 million, with a far lesser margin,” Nwankwo said.

He warned that continued pressure on marketers could force them to take drastic measures.

“We are all private businesses. We do not want to do this, but they are trying to push us. We may have to shut down operations for a while to get the attention of Mr Governor,” he said.

PEDAN Calls for Cooperation

The Chairman of the Petroleum Dealers Association of Nigeria (PEDAN) in Anambra, Mr Izukanne Chibuike, also expressed concern over what he described as the incessant harassment of petroleum marketers by unknown agents.

Chibuike, however, commended Governor Soludo for approving the harmonised levy and pledged that his members would continue to support and cooperate with the state government.

He said marketers were willing to comply with all legitimate taxes, levies and government regulations, provided such charges were officially approved and transparently administered.

The marketers consequently appealed to the state government to investigate the alleged illegal revenue demands and streamline the activities of government agencies, consultants and other revenue-collection agents operating around filling stations in the state.

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