Mr Bobby Dick, the Chairman of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in Abia, has called on relevant Federal Government agencies to restore supply of petroleum products to the Osisioma depot, near Aba.
Dick made the call during a news briefing on Monday at the IPMAN Secretariat at Osisioma.
He said that the depot remained strategic to the sustenance of socio-economic activities in Abia and other South-East states, hence deserved regular supply of petroleum products.
He, therefore, requested that concerted efforts be made to ensure that the facility remained functional always.
Dick said that since the depot was the only one servicing the entire South-East zone, it should not be starved of products.
“For the past two years, Dual Purpose Kerosene and Alternative Gas Oil have not been pumped to the depot, while Premium Motor Spirit also has not been pumped to the depot for the past five months.
“Our observation and investigation have shown clearly that the pipelines are through and safe,” he said, alleging that supplies to the depot were being politicised.
Dick said that it was disheartening that marketers were compelled by the current situation to purchase petroleum products from “private tank farms” at exorbitant prices.
He said that the current situation at the depot and the state of roads in the region had increased the number of road accidents involving trucks transporting petroleum products.
He appealed to the federal government to deploy the necessary resources to ensure that the pipelines for supplying products to Aba depot were in good condition.
