IPMAN wants DPR to clampdown on fake lubricants’ manufacturers

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has urged the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to clampdown on producers and marketers of fake and adulterated lubricants nationwide.
IPMAN, Chairman, Western zone, Alhaji Debo Ahmed, , made the appeal yesterday in Lagos, said the plea became necessary for the agency to eliminate fake and low quality lubricants and minimise their negative impact on the nation.
He advised the agency and manufacturers of lubricants to live up to the task of curbing substandard lubricants being sold in various markets.
“DPR should be on the lookout on for illegal blenders of lubricants, as they use the factories of some recognised blenders, who act as third party blenders, to churn out substandard products into the market.
“There are many fake and low quality lubricants in the country, while some of them were locally produced or imported with no known address.
“Laboratory analysis on some of the lubricants showed they were not produced based on specified or approved mix of additives.
“Such lubricants constitute serious sources of damage to automobiles, generators and other appliances.
“These fake lubricants flood the domestic market to the extent that unsuspected buyers preferred the substandard lubricants to quality products, apparently because of their relative cheap prices.
“The proliferation of the fake and low quality products constitute a serious disincentive to investors who have already invested in the local production of lubricants,” he added.
Ahmed urged government to ensure that fake lubricants were eliminated from domestic market, to encourage local entrepreneurs in the lubricant business.
He advised government to impose higher tariff on imported lubricants to protect local producers to remain competitive in the market.
“There are challenges of influx of substandard lubricant in the market and the issue of high tariff which government should step up to curb the act.
“The imported lubricants are enjoying the same 10 per cent duty tariff with our major raw materials, which constitute about 90 per cent raw materials in lubricant production,” he said.
He urged DPR to stamp out the menace of fake products as it was capable of negatively impacting on the dignity of authentic producers.

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