The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Enugu Chapter has expressed worry over the continued neglect of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Depot in the state.
The IPMAN Chairman, Mr Chinedu Anyaso disclosed this on Thursday in Enugu during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the association.
Anyaso, therefore, called for the urgent rehabilitation of the depot in order to have safer movement of petroleum tankers.
He said that petroleum marketers in the state have had it rough since 2005 due to the poor state of the depot in the state and vandalism of the pipelines leading to it.
He said that since 2005, the dealers relied on private and NNPC depots outside the South East for their products supplies with high risk of accident and landing cost.
He said that the prevailing situation which had underlying implications had been a major setback to the petroleum dealers in the state.
Anyaso expressed happiness that sanity had finally returned to the state chapter of the association after it was temporarily banned through an Executive Order by Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
“We were not able to enter our secretariat to discharge our functions due to the executive order by the governor but we have now enjoyed one year of peace in Enugu.
“The synergy between us, government and security agencies has made our zone wet with products and vanished the perennial scarcity that hurts our economy,” he said.
He said that its members were worried about the deplorable condition of the road in the state, especially, the Ugwu Onyeama axis where tankers fell on daily basis.
“This has impoverished our members with loss of lives of our drivers and conductors in some cases,” he said.
On the incessant changes in the pump price of petroleum products, Anyaso said that it was a reflection of variations in prices from private depots where the products were sourced from.
“We know the plight we all face and hope that government will help provide products we can sell at cheaper rates,” he said.
The highlight of the meeting was the election of the leadership of the association.
Anyaso was returned as chairman, Mr Ndubuisi Nwokwu was elected as vice chairman while Mr Nnaemeka Iloafor emerged as secretary.
Messers Emeka Onyima, Obinna Njoku and Isaiah Mbah emerged as treasurer, financial secretary and Public Relations Officer respectively.
