The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association Nigeria (IPMAN) has called on the Federal Government to fix the moribund Benin Depot of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Baba Abdul Saliu, chairman of the Benin Depot chapter of the association made the call during the recent annual general meeting/election of new executives in Benin, Edo State. Saliu lamented that the depot has been out of operation for more than a decade. He said his members now load petroleum products from Warri and Oghara all in Delta State.
He said the depot which used to be a beehive of activities is now a shadow of itself as it has been taken over by rodents and reptiles.
The IPMAN chairman, however, added that the new executive would partner with the Federal Government and relevant agencies in the oil and gas sector, including the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in repairing the depot. He also promised that the union would partner with the government to ensure that the right policies are put in place to avert strikes by members.
According to him, we will work with our sister unions in the oil and gas sector to see that the government do the right thing to avert the strike.
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“It is so unfortunate that it is only Nigeria among the oil-producing countries in the world that exports crude oil and imports refined products.
“If the refineries are fixed and crude oil refined in the country that will help to reduce the incessant increment of pump prices in the country.
“We are aware that countries like Saudi Arabia, Libya and others what their citizens are enjoying as oil-producing countries, we Nigerians can also enjoy them,” he added.
