By Thompson ABISOLA
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) on Monday urged the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to ensure effective monitoring of its pipelines through electronic device to curb incessant vandalism.
The National President of the Association, Mr Chinedu Okoronkwo, gave the advice in Lagos. “Government should introduce effective monitoring device that will checkmate pipelines vandalism in the country.
“These acts of vandalism had affected the country’s crude export terminals and production flow in the Niger Delta region. Nigerians can no longer fold their hands and watch few individuals destroying the nation’s natural endowment in the name of militancy,’’ Okoronkwo said.
He said illegal bunkering and pipelines vandalism had impacted negatively on the nation’s oil reserves and daily production.
According to him, those communities around the NNPC pipelines’ network should also be involved in the monitoring to make it more effective.
He said the association was ready to partner with the government on surveillance of the pipelines to assist NNPC in reducing activities of vandals along its facilities.
“It is our collective responsibility to check and bring pipelines vandals to book; very soon, the menace will be stamped out,’’ Okoronkwo said
