The Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMA) yesterday, threatened to shut its operations within 48-hours if government failed to pay the subsidy claims to marketers.

Mr Dapo Abiodun, the President of the association, gave the ultimatum in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Abiodun said that government’s failure to pay all verified and outstanding subsidy claims would force the members to suspend supply and distribution of petroleum products nationwide.

“We are not fighting government but what we are saying is that government should pay all our outstanding subsidy claims which have affected our operations.

“If after 48-hours government fails to effect payment, we, the members of DAPPMA are going to put our operations on hold nationwide pending when it is paid,” he said.

Abiodun said that banks were charging marketers about N1.80k as interest on a litre of petrol per month due to non-payment of the subsidy claims by government.

He said that it costs members about $30 million to import 30,000 tonnes of petrol, adding that non-payment of subsidy had resulted to huge debts from funds borrowed from banks.