The Association of Mega Filling Station Owners of Nigeria has called for a stronger partnership between the association and the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
The Association said it could transport fuel to the 774 local government headquarters in the country at a cheaper rate to make the product available to the people at the grassroots level.
This was contained in a statement made available to journalists in Kaduna on Monday by the President of AMFSON, Davidson Ukatta, following a meeting with members of the association in Abuja.
He said filling stations owned by his members could be found in all the 774 local councils of the country, making it easy for the public to access petroleum products at a cheaper rate.
According to the statement, there is a need for the management of NNPC and other critical stakeholders in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry to see AMFSON not only as business partners but as partners in progress in the quest to deliver products to Nigerians at cheaper and affordable rates.
The statement partly read, “AMFSON is well structured to help make petroleum products available to Nigerians, our members are located across the 774 local councils in the 36 states of the Federation and the federal capital territory.
“While NNPC Retail filling stations are politically located in the capitals of the 36 states of the Federation and Abuja, AMFSON outlets can be found in multiple numbers in the 774 local councils of the country.
“The locations of AMFSON member outlets make it possible for Nigerians to readily access petroleum products at a cheaper rate nationwide.
“There is also the need for NNPC Limited to deepen its relationship with AMFSON members as part of strategies to make cheaper petroleum products available to the public.”
According to the statement, AMFSON is the only group that can help NNPCL drive the policy behind the establishment of NNPC Retail Limited.
The statement further read, “Our members are well equipped to drive the policy behind the setting up of NNPC Limited which is aimed at making petroleum products available to Nigerians at an affordable rate.
“Our filling stations can be found in all the 774 local councils of the country, making it easy for the public to access petroleum products at a cheaper rate.
“We are happy at the opening of the national secretariat of the association because the new secretariat would further create a more enabling environment to meet the needs of its members.
“Until now, the national secretariat of AMFSON was located in Gwagwalada, one of the far-flung outskirts of Abuja. The relocating of the national secretariat to the Abuja city centre marks a new chapter in the annals of the association.”