Comrade Chinedu Anyaso, Managing Director of Floxy Alu Oil Limited, has been re-elected by members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Enugu Unit as chairman for the next three years.
Anyaso and his entire executive members were returned after a unanimous unopposed vote by all members in an election that took place at the IPMAN House in Enugu on Friday.
In his acceptance speech, Anyaso appreciated members of the association for the confidence and trust reposed in him and his entire executive to be re-elected and returned, adding: “My executive is the first ever to enjoy this great privilege.”
Anyaso noted that the members of IPMAN had been a great pillar of support in the past three years in office, making it possible for the association to achieve some milestones.
According to him, his re-election is a call for more work on their part to ameliorate difficulties that members are facing in their businesses.
He said, “Since the removal of the fuel subsidy, our members have continued to find it difficult to survive the harsh business environment confronting all business concerns in the country.
“Even as we are struggling to keep business afloat and retain our workers, a state government in its quest to surge up its internal revenue has come down hard on our individual members and their business outfits.
“This latest development also undermines agreements with various state governments that IPMAN would be paying collective tax to the various state governments to ensure all members pay and check issues of over or multiple taxation.
“This is highly prevalent in Anambra State, where after we had an agreement with the state government, you still see ASWAMA, signage officials, even Ocha Brigade officials coming to demand money, arrest, and detain our members and their workers.”
Anyaso said that the overtaxation issue in Anambra might lead to its members down-tooling and shutting down fuel-selling operations in the state within the next two weeks.
He said: “All efforts to call the attention of the Anambra State Government to the issue have proved abortive and not yielded any fruit.
“Recently, some of our members having businesses in Anambra State were taken to court and jailed or given the option of fines due to their refusal to comply with illegal and overtaxation,” he said.
The re-elected chairman also assured of furnishing the IPMAN House, adding: “Within the next six months, this house will be well-furnished, and the sweat you are experiencing today will never be again.”
Anyaso applauded Ebonyi and Enugu State Governments for cooperating and supporting IPMAN members and their activities, as well as the state governments of some parts of Imo, Abia, Kogi, and Cross River States where their members operate.
Earlier, Mr. Pius Onyeka, Chairman of the Enugu State House of Assembly Committee on Petroleum Matters, commended IPMAN for a very peaceful election, adding: “I will be glad if elections in Nigeria will go this very peaceful way.”
Onyeka assured that the House would continue to work cordially with IPMAN members to ensure the availability of fuel in the state for the overall benefit of the good people of the state.
Speaking, the Grand Patron of IPMAN Enugu Unit, Chief Joseph Ezeokafor, also lauded IPMAN for working in unison and ensuring the steady growth of the association within the various states it covers.
“As you people are progressive, I will continue to support IPMAN, and do not fail to call on me if there is any difficulty you are facing for counsel and guidance,” Ezeokafor, Founder of JEZCO Nigeria Ltd, said.
Others re-elected included: Mr. Ndubuisi Nwokwu as Vice Chairman; Mr. Nnaemeka Iloafor as Secretary; Mr. Ndubuisi Egbogota as Assistant Secretary; Emeka Onyima as Treasurer, and Mr. Obinna Njoku as Financial Secretary.
Others are: Mr. Isaiah Mbah as PRO; Mr. Abdullahi Salami as Auditor; Chief Clement Nnamchi as Legal Adviser, and Chief Austine Nkama as Ex-official.